Cincinnati Magazine - April 2021 Edition by Cincinnati Magazine

Hops farmers get down to earth PHOTO ESSAY P. 46

WHEN APRIL FOOLS WERE ON PARADE by Jay Gilbert

RECKONING WITH RACE ACROSS 20 YEARS by Aiesha D. Little

O U Y R T S A E E L R F T

Self-care suggestions to comfort your body, mind, and spirit

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Personalizing the Right Care for You Whether safely in our clean facilities or virtually from the comfort of your own home, we’re creating the personalized solutions you need, to meet you where you need us. Because no matter how the world around us changes, we believe your health care should always revolve around you. Visit mercy.com/primarycare to connect with a primary care provider today.

PRIMARY CARE FOR THE UNIVERSE OF YOU

F E AT U R E S A P R I L 2 02 1

CALM, COOL, AND COLLECTED Take time to release the months of stress and isolation we’ve all dealt with, and focus on refreshing your body, mind, and spirit. We offer more than 30 ways to treat yourself.

CINCINNATI GETS HIP TO HOPS

P.46

Growing hops on small suburban plots connects beer fans and brewers to each other and to the earth. Meet Shawn Carson and Andrew Conn, the part-time farmers behind Hopped Farms. P H OTO G R A P H S BY A A R O N M . CO N WAY TEXT BY DAMIAN DOTTERWEICH

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS VON HOLLE

20 YEARS OF UNHEARD VOICES

P. 54

Anniversaries of tragedies are hardly celebrations, especially those as signiﬁcant as the one that rocked Cincinnati in April 2001. But they can serve as an opportunity to discuss what has changed and what hasn’t. BY AIESHA D. LITTLE

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D E PA R T M E N T S A P R I L 2 02 1 ON OUR SITE

12 / CONTRIBUTORS 12 / LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FRONTLINES

FOOD NEWS

15 / DISPATCH

COVID-19 openings, closings, and pivots.

The Taft Museum’s newest artist-in-residence, Asha Ama Bias-Daniels

16 / SPEAK EASY Spiritual author Jaylin Leslie

16 / SPORTS Play ball! With fans!

18 / STYLE COUNSEL 20 / STOREFRONT Ampersand Home (& Gallery), Bellevue

22 / REAL ESTATE Daventry at Summit Park puts the garage behind the house

26 / DR. KNOW Your QC questions answered

CITY NEWS

COLUMNS

88 / TABLESIDE WITH…

Fools on parade

Shelbi Nation of Wyoming Meat Market

28 / LIVING IN CIN BY J AY G I L B E R T

30 / PERSON OF INTEREST Architect José García isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty BY LISA MURTHA

104 / CINCY OBSCURA Carillon Bell Tower, Mariemont

89 / SNACK TIME

Paktli Foods’s alegrias

90 / HOT PLATE Kampuchea Kitchen, Ft. Thomas

92 / HIGH SPIRITS Bar Saeso, Pendleton

94 / DINING GUIDE

BY BEBE HODGES

Greater Cincinnati restaurants: A selective list

DINE

ON THE COVER

86 / DINING OUT The Oakley Fish House, Oakley

88 / FINE DIVING Lindenwald Station, Fairﬁeld

Decoding our civic DNA, from history to politics to personalities.

HOME + LIFE

Tracking what’s new in local real estate, artisans, and storefronts.

photograph by CHRIS VON HOLLE

SPORTS

Insight and analysis on the Reds and FC Cincinnati.

@Cincinnatimagazine

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PAGE 59 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SENIOR LIV ING COMMU NIT Y DIRECTORY

Review the listings below for senior living communities that meet your level-of-care needs. You’ll ﬁnd campuses that offer independent living, assisted living, continuing care, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation units, adult day programs, and more. With contact information at your ﬁngertips, we make it easy to request more information or to schedule a visit.

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CARRIAGE COURT OF KENWOOD 4650 E. GALBRAITH RD. CINCINNATI, OH 45236, (513) 904-4573, SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM Type of Facility: Assisted Living and Memory Care Total Units: 100; 41 Assisted Living, 59 Memory Care Average Age: 87 Total Staff: NP Offers a caring atmosphere, an active community, and a comfortable life for residents to age in place. Licensed nursing staff is available on site 24 hours a day. Provides a secure memory care setting for residents with dementia. An Individual Service Plan guides staff in assisting residents.

THE COURTYARD AT SEASONS 7100 DEARWESTER DR., CINCINNATI, OH 45236, (513) 4373948, SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM Type of Facility: Continuum of Care Total Units: 128; 83 Assisted Living, 45 Nursing Beds Average Age: 80 Total Staff: 250 (including Seasons) This continuum of care retirement community is located on campus with Seasons in Kenwood. Choose from a wide array of lifestyle options. Designed for those who want companionship and amenities with a hospitality-centered staff and a stimulating environment.

SEASONS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 7300 DEARWESTER DR., CINCINNATI, OH 45236, (888) 447-5470, SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM Type of Facility: Independent Living, Continuum of Care on campus at Courtyard Total Units: 344; 216 Independent Living, 83 Assisted Living, 45 Nursing Average Age: 80 Total Staff: 250 (including Courtyard) Offers studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments on a campus surrounded by lush greenery in the heart of Kenwood. Amenities include award-winning dining, live music, a ﬁtness center and outdoor pool, a beauty salon and barbershop, a library, ﬁtness classes, and more.

ARLINGTON POINTE 4900 HENDRICKSON RD., MIDDLETOWN, OH 45044, (513) 605-7000, HCMG.COM Type of Facility: Short-term and Long-term Skilled Nursing Care Total Units: 99 Average Age: NP Total Staff: 200 New facility provides short-term rehabilitation, including physical, occupational, speech, aquatic, and cardiac therapies.

BARRINGTON OF WEST CHESTER INDEPENDENT AND ASSISTED LIVING 7222 HERITAGESPRING DR., WEST CHESTER, OH 45069, (513) 7774457, SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM Type of Facility: Independent and Assisted Living Apts. Total Units: 105 Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP Eight ﬂoor plans available in this community. All apartments have fully equipped kitchens, washers, dryers, and more. Many amenities provided, including ﬁtness center, cocktail bar, movie theater, and spa.

CEDAR VILLAGE SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 5467 CEDAR VILLAGE DR., MASON, OH 45040, (513) 754-3100, CEDARVILLAGE.ORG Type of Facility: Retirement Community Total Units: 105 Independent/ Assisted Living Apts., 25 Long-Term Memory Supports Beds, 87 Long-Term Care Beds, 50 Short-Term Rehab Beds Average Age: 85 Total Staff: 275 At Cedar Village, we live life to the fullest every day. With gourmet menu selections in our Garden Dining Room, a traditional Jewish-style deli, a robust activity schedule, off-campus activities, a library, resident computers, a pool, and beautiful grounds, you’ll wonder why you didn’t move here sooner. It’s the best way to help your loved one stay as active and interested in life as possible when the body or mind begins growing older.

CHESTERWOOD VILLAGE 8073 TYLERSVILLE RD., WEST CHESTER, OH 45069, (513) 777-1400, HILLANDALE.COM Type of Facility: Continuing Care Retirement

Community, Patio Homes, Independent Living Apts., Assisted Living, Memory Assisted Living, Post-hospital Rehabilitation, Outpatient Rehabilitation, and Long-term Skilled Nursing Care Total Units: 237 Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP Coming soon is a new post–sub-acute healthcare center offering skilled nursing care and posthospital physical therapy. By combining the latest in physical, occupational, and speech therapies with advanced technologies and an in-house team of skilled, licensed professionals, we have aided thousands in getting better, getting home, and getting back to the quality of life.

DEERFIELD SPRINGS RETIREMENT RESORT 3664 W. U.S. 22, LOVELAND, OH 45140, (513) 453-0017, DEERFIELD SPRINGSRETIREMENT.COM Type of Facility: Independent Living Total Units: 128 Apts., studio–three bedrooms Average Age: 55+ Total Staff: 40+ Opening in spring 2019. With all-included services and amenities, Deerﬁeld Springs will provide a wonderful lifestyle so residents can relax and thoroughly enjoy their retirement years in a luxurious, elegantly decorated community. Their prices represent a tremendous value.

EVERGREEN/ WELLSPRING RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 230 W. GALBRAITH RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45215, (513) 948-2308, SENIORLIFESTYLE.COM Type of Facility: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Nursing Care, Memory Care and Memory Care Day Program, Rehab Total Units: 396; 149 Apts., 42 Cottages, 103 Assisted Living Apts., 32 Memory Care, 70 Skilled Nursing, Rehab Average Age: 85 Total Staff: 290 This continuing care community features golf, walking trails, ﬁne dining, and entertainment. Cottages and apartments offer features such as ﬁreplaces and patios. Rehab, nursing, and memory care are also available.

HERITAGE SPRING OF WEST CHESTER TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 7235 HERITAGESPRING DR., WEST

CHESTER TOWNSHIP, OH 45069, (513) 759-5777, CARESPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Total Units: 144 Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: 220 Specialized units for all residents’ needs, including a state-of-the-art therapy gym and rehab unit. Includes a Montessori school, a marketplace for visitors and patients, a recreation therapy room, chapel, and a family guest room.

» »

HILLSPRING TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 325 E. CENTRAL AVE., SPRINGBORO, OH 45066, (937) 748-1100, CARE SPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Total Units: 140 Skilled Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: 220 Specializes in rehabilitative and skilled nursing care. Modern amenities include a marketplace for visitors and patients, cable television, and wireless internet access.

THE LODGE NURSING AND REHAB CENTER 9370 UNION CEMETERY RD., LOVELAND, OH 45140, (513) 677-4900, LODGECARECENTER.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing Facility, Hospice Care, Rehabilitation, Intermediate Care, Secured Dementia Unit Total Units: NP Average Age: 84 Total Staff: 156 Provides state-of-the-art rehabilitation. Healthcare personnel and support staff are highly trained professionals dedicated to providing personalized nursing care. Newly renovated private rooms with private bath and showers. Rated Four Stars by CMS and Top 100 by U.S. News & World Report. Accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and most major insurances.

Senior Living Our senior living community directory highlights some of the many choices available to older adults in our area.

THE LODGE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 12050 MONTGOMERY RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45249, (513) 683-9966, LODGERETIREMENTCOMMUNITY .COM Type of Facility: Independent Living and Assisted Living Total Units: 213; 24 Cottages, 61 Independent Living Apts., 60 Assisted Living

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What other patients have said...

PAGE 65 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

2021

TOP DENTISTS

PROFILE PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN BACK

Our annual list of the top dentists in the Cincinnati region, 268 professionals in seven specialties who are making smiles brighter.

Top Dentists 2021 The list of the region’s best dentists, as chosen by their peers. Learn more about some of those chosen and how they can improve your smile.

A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 6 5

PAGE 77 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

KIDS SUMMER FUN & CAMP PLANNER ACADEMIC HONEYBEES SUMMER PROGRAM The Seven Hills School, Madisonville/ Kennedy Heights Dates: Weekly sessions, June 14–August 6 Age/Grade: Ages 3–4 Cost: Fees vary Contact: (513) 728-2380, summer@7hills.org, www.7hills.org/summerprogram X The Honeybee program is designed for pre-kindergarten-aged children. Keeping this age group in mind, weekly themes are speciﬁcally designed for a fun, relaxing summer, while still implementing academics into the framework. This program aims to support your child’s social, emotional, and academic growth. With low student-teacher ratios, engaging themes, projects, recess, and a mid-morning snack, each day oﬀers unlimited opportunities for learning and fun! Seven Hills teachers Julie Bracke and De’Yana Jackson are lead teachers in the Honeybee morning program. Children must be po y trained to a end.

Illustration by mast3r/adobe.stock.com

STINGERBEES SUMMER PROGRAM The Seven Hills School, Madisonville/ Kennedy Heights Dates: Weekly sessions, June 14–August 13 Age/Grade: Ages 5–7 Cost: Fees vary Contact: (513) 728-2380, summer@7hills.org, www.7hills.org/summerprogram X The Stingerbee program provides nine weeks of exciting learning opportunities. Campers expand their imaginations and knowledge through a variety of enriching, academic-based, hands-on activities. The focus of the weekly themes is having fun in a relaxed summertime atmosphere. Stingerbee campers will also have time to enjoy a mid-morning snack and recess. The a ernoon program is an extension of the morning weekly themes. A ernoons include exciting enrichment programs oﬀered by experts from the local community, including art and science. Swimming takes place two days a week at nearby Losantiville

Mark your calendar and get ready to have fun this summer. We’ve gathered our annual list of cool summer camps and selected some fun-for-all activities to make the most of the upcoming season.

Country Club. Lunch may be brought from home or purchased for $30 per week.

ARTS ART MUSIC AND THEATER SUMMER CAMPS Wyoming Fine Arts Center, Wyoming Dates: May 17–August 6 Age/Grade: Ages 3–18 Cost: Fees vary Contact: (513) 948-1900, registrar@musicart dance.org, www.musicartdance.org X For 25 summers, campers have come to the Wyoming Fine Arts Center to learn and enjoy long summer days through a variety of music, art, and theater day camps. Each week offers something different. Half- or full-day camps are available. Virtual and in-person camps are taught by master faculty. KIDS DANCE CAMP Cincinnati Ballet Center, downtown Dates: TBD Age/Grade: Ages 4–8 Cost: Check website for details Contact: (513) 562-1111, cbacademy@cballet.org, www.cballet.org/academy X Cincinnati Ballet’s Kids Dance Camp is a creative exploration of dance, music, and art through beloved stories for students. Each week-long experience explores an overall theme through age-appropriate ballet classes and activities led by professional faculty. THE CHILDREN’S THEATRE SUMMER CAMP The Children’s Theatre, Madisonville Dates: Weekly sessions in June Age/Grade: Ages 7–18 Cost: $250 in-person, $125 virtual Contact: (513) 569-8080, www.thechildrens theatre.com X One-week-long, themed summer camps, every week in June. No audition required. In-person and virtual sessions available for children ages 7–18. Select camps feature special guests and final performances.

VIRTUAL CAMP ART ACADEMY Art Academy of Cincinnati Dates: Weekly sessions, TBD Age/Grade: Ages 5–12 Cost: $100 per week; $600 full six weeks Contact: (513) 562-8748, www.artacademy.edu/ com-ed/summer-art-camp/summer-art-camp.php X Popular Camp Art Academy traditions will be digitized, such as our end-of-the-week gallery shows, visiting artists, and ﬁeld trips to art museums and galleries. Adding extra events and activities to our curriculum this summer will keep campers engaged, educated, and entertained daily. They’ll have the opportunity to participate in storytime from authors, song and dance sessions with performance artists, and digital art parties. All while exploring their creativity, learning new artistic methods, building their visions, and meeting new friends during an experimental summer camp experience. YOUTH SUMMER INTENSIVE Cincinnati Ballet Center, downtown Dates: June 28–July 9, July 12–23 Age/Grade: Ages 9 and up Cost: Check website for details Contact: (513) 562-1111, cbacademy@cballet.org, www.cballet.org/academy X Cincinnati Ballet’s Youth Summer Intensive provides young aspiring dancers with an entrée into intensive summer training at a pace designed speciﬁcally for their unique stage of technical development. Through fun and challenging curriculum, students enhance their ballet technique while exploring new dance styles, age-appropriate repertoire, and educational workshops.

GENERAL DAY CAMP CAMP AT THE J Mayerson JCC, Amberley Village Dates: Weekly sessions June 14–August 6 (no specialty camps) Age/Grade: Entering kindergarten–grade 8 Cost: Members $325 per week, nonmembers $375 per week

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Kids Summer Fun & Camp Planner Get the kids moving, thinking, creating, and more this summer with our guide to all kinds of camp fun.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Fox DESIGN DIRECTOR Brittany Dexter

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COMING SOON THE 14TH ANNUAL CENTRAL OHIO RIVER VALLEY

LOCAL FOOD GUIDE IN THE MAY EDITION OF CINCY MAGAZINE A MOST BEAUTIFUL GUIDE TO WHERE AND WHEN TO FIND LOCAL FOOD IN THE REGION

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CONTRIBUTORS

AIESHA D. LITTLE

SELF-C ARE ALWAYS SEEMED SELF-EVIDENT TO ME . TAKE C ARE OF YOURSELF, EAT right, sleep enough, and stay active in some way. Then came a wave of “as seen on TV” products offering self-care in a bottle, a shoe, or a scent, followed by experiences like beach vacations and spa treatments branded as self-care. Just another attempt to take advantage of human insecurities to sell us stuff we don’t need, right? We’ve seen it before with businesses promising solutions for our beauty, weight, and sex issues; now they’ve rolled up every potential personal shortcoming under the all-encompassing umbrella of self-care. The year-plus pandemic has altered a lot of our assumptions, including my skepticism about the self-care industry. Some of us got sick with COVID, and some lost family and friends to it. Everyone’s school, work, and home lives got turned upside down. Instead, we’ve been isolated in small pods or, worse, alone, with our main outside connections a Zoom meeting or a food delivery driver. Maybe we need as much comfort and positivity as we can ﬁnd these days. Maybe we need to open ourselves to every possible avenue for taking care of our body, mind, and spirit. And maybe we need to stop being so hard on ourselves for seeking a little help. This month’s “Calm, Cool, and Collected” (page 34) offers numerous ways you can start caring for yourself in this uncertain time. Yes, there are products (wine and cheese, astrological charts, indoor plants) and experiences (yoga, pole dancing, mental health therapy) from local sources. There’s also advice from life coaches, starting with the practical reminder to accept our limitations on controlling everything around us. In “The Meaning of Finding Meaning” (page 36), Lisa Murtha describes her own journey of self-care leading back to the basics of holistic health—a balance of her body, mind, and spirit working together—and her rediscovery of how turning inward can take you only so far. Humans thrive on connections with each other? That seems pretty self-evident to me.

J O H N F OX

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

1 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

ILLUSTR ATIO N BY L A R S LEE TA RU

“I’ve always been a storyteller,” says Senior Editor Aiesha D. Little. After two decades, Little seized a rare opportunity to revisit a story that still resonates today. In 2001, following the killing of Timothy Thomas, the magazine devoted an issue to highlighting the experiences of young Black men living in Cincinnati. In “20 Years of Unheard Voices” (page 54), Little follows up with eight of those interviewed for the original issue.

LISA MURTHA As a Cincinnati Magazine contributing editor, Lisa Murtha’s subjects have ranged from world-famous architects to victims of human trafficking. The subject this time? Herself. In “The Meaning of Finding Meaning” (page 36), Murtha delves into her holistic healing journey following a health scare. “I am hopeful that it will help people see they’re not alone,” she says. “And there is a way out of questioning purpose and meaning and feeling isolated.”

AARON M. CONWAY After transitioning from video production into still photography, Aaron M. Conway spent years honing his skills. In the past, he and his friend (who happens to be a hop farmer) have mused that “bourbon is romanticized, wine is romanticized, [but] beer is beer.” In his photo essay, “Cincinnati Gets Hip to Hops” (page 46), Conway captures life at his friend’s local hop farm, helping to make the case that beer—and the ingredients that go into it—deserve a little more attention.

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FORGING HER OWN WAY Asha Ama Bias-Daniels explores personal identity in her Duncanson Artist-inResidence spotlight this month. — L E Y L A S H O K O O H E PHOTOGRAPH BY JEREMY KRAMER

A FRESH TAKE ON SUBURBAN LIVING P. 22

ASHION DESIGNER ASHA AMA BIAS-DANIELS, THE TAFT MUSEUM OF ART’S 2021

Duncanson Artist-in-Residence and a contestant on two separate iterations of Project Runway, almost didn’t go into design. “I always thought I’d be something more traditional,” she says. “In the Black community, if you’re book smart, everyone’s like, You’re going to be a lawyer or a doctor. Pick one, which one? So I was kind of thinking I’d end up doing something along those lines.” The Avondale native was introduced to design during her high school days at St. Ursula Academy, which she followed up with a degree from UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). “I had a teacher at St. Ursula who was the catalyst for me realizing I could make fashion design a career, Ms. Probst,” says Bias-Daniels. “I took her design class, and she said, You’re really good at this. Kind of changed the whole trajectory of what I thought I was going to do for a career, and I’m thankful for it.” Alison Probst, a visual communicator in her own right and a St. Ursula teacher since 1998, remembers Bias-Daniels well. “With Asha, I mean, she just had the right attitude. You can always tell,” she says. “First of all, you definitely have to be curious, because curiosity leads to creativity. She also had a very, very high work ethic.” That recognition and identification as a creative was essential to BiasDaniels. “She saw something in me that a lot of teachers didn’t,” she says. “Before that, I didn’t really look at myself as a creative.” Identity is a prevalent theme in Bias-Daniels’s work. Her parents—and specifically her mother, who has been sewing since she was CONTINUED ON P. 16 A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 1 5

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Baseball is back—along with real live fans. The Reds kick off their 145th season this month against the Cardinals, and Great American Ball Park will be at 30 percent capacity in pod-style seating (if COVID cooperates). Play ball! MLB.COM/REDS 1 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

SPEAK EASY

HEALING SEASON X Jaylin Leslie uses her creative talents— from painting and fashion to podcasting, writing, and spokenword performance—to connect with people on an intimate level. The Cincinnati native published her ﬁrst collection of narrative, free verse, and imagery writing, Seasons, in April 2020 to explore her personal journey of healing, which she also shares on a blog and podcast. When did you become interested in making art? Writing was an outlet for me when I was younger because my mom would always buy me journals, since she loves to read. My family history is full of creatives. My grandfather is a wood carver, and my dad paints and also designs clothing. I guess if I had to choose one art form, though, it would be speaking and writing. I just think words are a great way to connect with people. I really feel as though I’ve been given the gift of communication. What was the inspiration behind Seasons? This is about the seasons of my life from hardship to growth, and those growing pains. Initially, I was on a journey of healing and self discovery. I got deep into meditation

two years ago, and I was telling that story on my blog [earthensden.com], so I wanted to create a book that could inspire other people. What are some of its major themes? The book has three chapters, with the ﬁrst one called “Bloom,” which is one of the stages of winter. So that’s more of the hard and heavy stuff. The second chapter is “Flower,” which is in the springtime. So I’ve survived this very dark night of the soul, and I’m growing. Then “Garden” is the season of abundance, where I realize I should just be whole and accepting of myself. It’s the season of forgiveness and peace with my past. What do you hope aspiring creatives take away from Seasons? I think poetry and reading and all of those things sometimes can be a very analytical arena, but I just wanted to create something that people would connect to emotionally. I hope people learn to be honest in their work. When you’re creating something, don’t do it with the intention of sales or anything like that. Do it because it means something to you and has a deeper value inside you. —GRACE DEARING

PH OTO G R A PHS BY J O N ATH A N W I LLI S

ILLU S TR ATI O N S BY ( W E AV E / SP O R T S) EMI VILL AV ICENCIO / (SPE A K E A S Y ) Z AC H A RY G H A D E RI

a child—were her first inspiraidentity during her Duncanson residency by leading a handful of public events tion, and she fondly recalls her First Communion crown (white lace and this month, including workshops, pubinspired by Queen Nefertiti) that her lic programs, and school visits. “What I parents designed together. “At the heart want people to take away from my event of most of my design, it’s inspired by is the strength to reclaim their identity,” Black women,” says Bias-Daniels. “A lot she says. “I hope everybody can kind of of times Black women are put into one unplug themselves from the matrix and the constant media we’re fed, and rebox, that we have to be one thing. We have to be strong, independent women, evaluate who they are.” or we’re angry, in-your-face women. But The Duncanson residency was the beautiful thing about Black women founded in 1986 to honor the legacy is we’re soft and also strong when we of Robert S. Duncanson, a Cincinnati need to be. We’re funny, we’re painter whose patron, Nichoserious. I think my work takes las Longworth, commissioned that on in fabric form. There’s murals for his downtown a lot of duality—strong verhome—now the Taft Museum of Art. “What I love about sus soft, draped pieces verWeaving It Together Robert Duncanson and other sus a corseted, exoskeleton, Asha Ama Biasarmor feel.” Daniels will host public great Black artists who came T h ro u g h DA A P ’s re programs April 12–26 before me,” Bias-Daniels says, during her Duncanson “is that they not only existed nowned co-op program, BiasDaniels worked for couture residency. Find details in their artwork but had the at taftmuseum.org. extra burden of opening doors fashion house Marchesa, an for people who looked like them. That’s experience she was grateful to have. It also made her realize she wanted to forge something that was instilled in me from her own path. “I was able to design the a very early age, of always making sure I showpiece for their couture bridal demake room for more of us. “I think the design world would realsign,” she says. “It was truly my design that went down the runway, and I was so ly benefit from having more Black voices proud and happy about the moment, but at the table, because there are so many at the end of the runway show I didn’t things from our culture you don’t see get to go out and say, Thanks, guys, that represented in the mainstream. Black was me. So I was like, OK, I want to figure people aren’t getting the opportunities and aren’t being exposed to the design out doing this for myself.” Bias-Daniels started charting her world. I really hope, especially with the programs I’ll have for the younger stuown path after college, appearing on Project Runway spinoffs Under the Gunn dents, that I can encourage at least one (placing third) and Project Runway All person to make a career out of the creativity that God gave them.” Stars. She plans to continue exploring

STYLE COUNSEL

DraKar Parker OCCUPATION: Fashion designer, model, hair and makeup artist STYLE: Muted and on-trend with a splash of color

SEW GOOD This look is a DraKar Parker original, created for this photo shoot.

How do you approach getting ready for the day? I try to keep it easy breezy, and I love to have statement pieces. I have a pretty muted palette when it comes to my everyday wear: blacks, grays, white, tans. But it’s always nice to throw in a splash of color here or a garment with an unusual silhouette there; it makes things more interesting. There’s a sensitivity to certain silhouettes and pieces here in Ohio. You don’t want to be too much. I try to really inject a sense of my personal style that makes me love the look I have while still being able to not stick out like a sore thumb. Is there a statement piece or color you love right now? Sometimes it can be a more grungy shirt—a sweater that is shredded—or maybe I’ll wear an unusual material. My favorite color is gray. I’ve found ways to wear those more muted colors, but present them in a silhouette that isn’t so simple. For example, an asymmetrical long-line T-shirt that teeters on the line of being simple, but edgy. What influences your fashion? Many of the pieces I have designed usually reflect African or Native American culture because those two cultures are part of my life. Another influence is trends and projected trends: fashion runways, Valentino, and Prada, those big names we’ve all heard of. It often takes a lot of time for those trends—palettes and silhouettes—to trickle down to the consumer level. I try to keep up with them as much as I can. Has style always been important to you? I’ve definitely always wanted to be a part of the fashion and beauty industry. I love to make people feel good inside and out. I’ve found through makeup, hair, and styling, that I can really brighten up people’s moods and ways of behaving. There’s that old saying, If you look good, you feel good. I just love to see that blossom out of a client. — K E V I N S C H U LT Z

1 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

P H O T O G R A P H BY A A R O N M . CO N WAY

Voltage offers modern, European furniture, lighting and accessories. This month’s design story focuses on outdoor living, showcasing pieces that share the same level of sophistication and comfort as their indoor counterparts.

A WARMING TREND

1 From B&B Italia Outdoor, Kyra carpets are made entirely by hand and offered in stone, olive green, overseas blue, blue royal, violet and anthracite. 2 Tramae ottomans from B&B Italia feature an exclusive weave that reinterprets the tradition of wicker basket making in a contemporary way. Available in three sizes and colors, the ottoman’s hexagonal shape is rounded until the edges are no longer visible. 3 Captain Flint, an elegant dual-purpose ﬂoor lamp, illuminates outdoor spaces. The lighting beam can be pointed down for reading or directed against a wall for an ambient halo. 4 Antonio Citterio’s Hybrid is a modular seating system for outdoor living. The collection offers the comfort of traditional upholstered furniture and is designed to support the body without the risk of one sinking into the cushions. 5 Patricia Urquiola’s outdoor tables feature tops in porcelain stoneware or are entirely painted in ﬁnishes including anthracite, tortora, sage or clay

voltagefurniture.com (513) 871-5483

3209 Madison Road Cincinnati, Oh 45209

STOREFRONT

HANDSOMELY CURATED AMPERSAND HOME (& GALLERY) SELLS LOCALLY MADE ART, GIFTS, HOME GOODS, AND ANTIQUES IN BELLEVUE. — K E V I N S C H U LT Z

Stepping into the brick storefront of Ampersand Home (& Gallery) on Bellevue’s historic Fairfield Avenue is a bit like stepping into a candy shop of things. Look up and find bold handspun ceramic plant hangers from local Amy Boullé of Tryst Studios, before being drawn in at waist level by a rainbow of functional pottery from local ceramicist Sam Hitchman. Then admire the wall of Cincinnati-centric posters designed by local artist James Billiter, and browse the shop’s collection of eclectic apparel and handmade herringbone cutting boards that would make perfect gifts for your difficult-toshop-for friends. The store is an alluring mash-up of gift shop, home goods retailer, antique boutique, and local art gallery that’s equal parts rustic, artsy, and downright Americana. Owner Matthew Litteken, a Northern Kentucky artist and UC DAAP graduate, transformed part of a turn-of-thecentury Victorian house on Fairfield Avenue into Ampersand Gallery in 2017. Within a year, he expanded the gallery’s offerings, tweaked its name, and moved to his current storefront a few blocks down. Today, Ampersand Home (& Gallery)’s diverse inventory resembles, as Litteken says, a curated collection from your favorite well-traveled aunt or uncle. “We really try to have a little something for everyone,” says Visual Merchandiser Betsy Jones, a fellow

Northern Kentucky resident and DAAP grad. Ampersand sources its products from a network of local and regional artists that the fun-spirited and perfectly in-sync duo have met over the years, and from afternoons spent perusing artisan fairs and maker markets. They even repurpose items they find, such as turning an old wooden cabinet into a polished piece of furniture, but always opt for pieces that are unique, tale-filled, and part of a definitive aesthetic. “A customer once came in,” Litteken says, “looked around and described the place as handsomely curated.” That descriptor has stuck. Now four years into business and in the grips

of an ongoing global pandemic that has sent shoppers increasingly online, the pair says it’s more important than ever to provide an outlet for local artists and makers, and to offer a more curated and tactile shopping experience. “We are becoming such a culture of searching online and hitting ‘Order now and get it today,’ ” Jones says. “There are a lot of shops,” Litteken says, whose very existences are “subconsciously or consciously a push against that culture.”

AMPERSAND HOME (& GALLERY), 305 FAIRFIELD AVE., BELLEVUE, (513) 315-6034, AMPERSANDHOMEANDGALLERY.COM

Bellevue volunteer organization In-Vue hosts monthly First Friday events when establishments stay open late for an evening of shopping, sipping, and snacking along the avenue. GOOD TO KNOW

2 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

PHOTOGR APHS BY CHRIS PASION

Your health care partner. There’s a good chance that when you took your ﬁrst breath, we took your vital signs. From birth or anytime along the way, we’ve been your partner for health care. So while you handle life pressure, we watch your blood pressure. You protect yourself from the random weather, and we’ll protect you with vaccines. While you maintain your dream home, we’ll make sure we have medical services near you. You’ll face challenges and enjoy good health along the way—and we’ll be with you for it all.

To learn more, go to TriHealth.com To ﬁnd a doctor call 513 569 5400

REAL ESTATE

PARK IT IF YOU’VE SPENT MUCH TIME ON PLAINFIELD ROAD RECENTLY, THEN

you’ve likely seen the dozens of brand new, single-family homes lined up in tidy rows alongside Summit Park. Their hefty square footage notwithstanding, these houses actually appear more compact than their counterparts in other subdivisions. And that’s because some 80 percent of the homes in Daventry at Summit Park have a conspicuous lack of street-side garages. Certainly the most visible home design change in post-WWII America was the widespread addition of the garage. As the country became obsessed with huge cars and the apparent freedom and glamour they offered, developers began designing whole neighborhoods full of houses that placed garages front and center, often literally overshadowing the home’s entryway. Indeed, the garage entrance has, for many families, replaced the front door. So when a contemporary suburban home is designed without a street-facing garage, that’s on purpose. The Daventry’s Lifestyle Series features “alley-load” garages around the back of the 2 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

home. This makes the front entrance about living space, not just parking space. It’s a seemingly minor design decision that has a major impact on the character of the neighborhood. And Summit Park is the ideal location for such a home, since it provides a kind of community front lawn, complete with walking paths, a playground, and a dog park. The development’s homeowners association takes care of mowing, bed maintenance, and snow removal. “It’s a lifestyle choice: Why mow when you can just walk to the park?” explains M/I Homes Marketing Manager Nichole Lawrence. Daventry residents can step off their front porches and directly into one of the region’s ﬁnest parks through dedicated paths. The whole effect is one of a cohesive community with a walkable lifestyle. Houses of this design are for both homeowners and the community at large: The residents get to make more direct use of their existing surroundings. And the community gets a dense-but-livable neighborhood that complements its amenities rather than overtakes them.

PH OTO G R A PHS CO URT E S Y M/I H O ME S O F CIN CINN ATI

A BLUE ASH DEVELOPMENT OFFERS A FRESH TAKE ON SUBURBAN LIVING. — A M Y B R O W N L E E

American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Elects President Dr. Mandell-Brown to Second Term Î The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery installed Cincinnati’s Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown to a second term as president on February 4, 2021. Normally a oneyear term, Dr. Mandell-Brown was overwhelmingly requested to serve a second term to help the world’s largest professional cosmetic organization transition through the Covid -19 pandemic. According to Dr. Mandell-Brown, “We ±ÏÏŅĵŞĬĜŸĘåÚ ŸĜčĹĜĀÏ±ĹƋ ÏĘ±ĹčåŸ ÚåŸŞĜƋå the Covid restrictions. We created a quarterly newsletter, ‘The Consult,’ to provide relevant news of our members and interesting cosmetic topics, held multiple virtual forums to help cosmetic surgeons obtain PPP loans, ±ĹÚ ŞĬ±ĹĹåÚ Ņƚų ƴĜųƋƚ±Ĭ ŸÏĜåĹƋĜĀÏ ±ĹĹƚ±Ĭ meeting,” he added. A training workshop for neurotoxins like ŅƋŅƻ ±ĹÚ ŸŅüƋ ƋĜŸŸƚå ĀĬĬåųŸ Ƶ±Ÿ ĘåĬÚ ĜĹ the fall in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. The attendees were properly spaced and Covid precautions were observed. The mayor of Oakbrook Terrace welcomed the small workshop group. Attendees learned the latest techniques for lip and cheek enhancement as well as more advanced topics like hand ±ĹÚ ÆƚƋƋŅÏĩ ĀĬĬåų åĹĘ±ĹÏåĵåĹƋţ eŸ ± ĩåƼĹŅƋå speaker, Dr. Mandell-Brown helped the attendees improve their injection techniques while stressing safety. Holding an annual cosmetic meeting virtually is no easy feat. Dr. Mandell-Brown spoke at the Masters Breast Seminar. His topic, “Transgender Breast Surgery—Female to Male,” was well received. With increasing demand for transgender procedures, both male to female and female to male, Dr. Mandell-Brown performs top surgery

to help these individuals. “As physicians, we are trained to help our patients of all backgrounds,” he observed. “If we have skills to help patients, it is important to provide care,” he added. Victoria Ceh, CEO of the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery noted that “Dr. Mandell- Brown possesses the leadership skills to help advance our cosmetic organization. The Board of Trustees were delighted to have him provide leadership for another term.” This role would be enough for most physicians. But not Dr Mandell-Brown. He also was elected to return to the Board of Trustees for the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC). Based in Illinois, the AAAHC is the largest accreditation organization for outpatient surgery centers. How does he manage his time with a busy face and body cosmetic practice in Cincinnati and Centerville? “Time management is essential,” Cincinnati’s topvoted Plastic Surgeon stated. “My evenings are often spent on conference calls and weekends can be spent at meetings or planning meetings. Dr Mandell-Brown concluded, “If you love what you do and strive to give back, there is time for everything.” DR. MARK MANDELL-BROWN PRESIDENT, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF COSMETIC SURGERY

513.984.4700 • mandellbrown.com

Natural Look Cosmetic Surgery TM

MANDELL-BROWN PLASTIC SURGERY CENTER Î XŅŅĩĜĹč ÆåƋƋåų ÆƚƋ ĹŅƋ ÚĜýåųåĹƋ ĜŸ ƋĘå goal of Dr. Mark Mandell-Brown, director of The Plastic Surgery Experts at the MandellBrown Plastic Surgery Center. Patients in the Midwest want his “Natural LookTM Cosmetic Surgery” which he has trademarked in Ohio. But actually, patients travel from throughout the United States for his cosmetic judgement and surgical skill.

Dr. Mandell-Brown’s patients featured in a New York Times article on growth of cosmetic surgery with the Covid pandemic.

“About half our practice focuses on face lifts, rhinoplasty, and eye lid surgery, as well as otoplasty or ear pinning and facial ĜĵŞĬ±ĹƋŸØ ŮŸƋ±ƋåÚ Ę±ųŅĹ ƵåĜƋǄåųØ ŅþÏå director. She added, “But Dr MandellBrown is an innovator, and he performs minimally invasive procedures like Renuvion or laser like facelifts along with thread ĬĜüƋŸ ±ĹÚ ŸŅüƋ ƋĜŸŸƚå ĀĬĬåų augmentation.”

Dr. Mandell-Brown and the Mandell-Brown Plastic Surgery Center are honored to once again be named: • “Best Plastic Surgeon” • “Best Medi-Spa” • “Best Skin Care” CityBeat reader’s poll 2021 • “Top Doctor in Plastic Surgery” Cincinnati Magazine 2021 The other half of one of Cincinnati’s best known plastic surgeons is breast and body surgery. Mommy Makeovers with tummy tucks, breast lifts and breast augmentation ±ųå ± ƵŅĹÚåųüƚĬ Ƶ±Ƽ ƋŅ ųåŸƋŅųå ŅĹåűŸ Āčƚųå after childbearing. Sometimes liposuction or non-surgical TruSculpt 3D can be helpful to improve areas of unwanted fat. “We all strive to provide the very best personal care for our patients,” stated Dr. Mandell-Brown. “We are not an assembly line and simply take one patient at a time to deliver the highest care possible,” he observed. The individualized approach has made Dr. Mandell-Brown a soughtout speaker for facial and body cosmetic procedures lecturing at regional and national cosmetic physician meetings.

Even the swans know Dr. Mandell-Brown’s Plastic Surgery Center is THE place to go for beauty!

Physicians from Australia, Canada, and US attend Mommy Makeover Workshop held at the Mandell-Brown Plastic Surgery Center.

BODY

NOSE

Dr. Mandell-Brown excels at Mommy Makeovers including tummy tuck and liposuction ƋŅ ĜĵŞųŅƴå ƼŅƚų Āčƚųå ±üƋåų ÏĘĜĬÚÆå±ųĜĹč Ņų weight loss.

Dr. Mandell-Brown uses minimal-incision rhinoplasty to naturally reshape the nose. He is known for making your nose look better, but ĹŅƋ ÚĜýåųåĹƋţ

BREASTS

FACE

Dr. Mandell-Brown is known for his “Natural Look” breast augmentation using a transaxillary, inframammary, or transareolar approach. He uses both saline and silicone and has worked in research proving the safety of silicone implants. He has taught breast augmentation and breast lift surgery in San Diego, Las Vegas, Miami, Chicago and Indianapolis.

Internationally recognized for his facelift technique and individualized approach using a Quick Facelift, Mid-Facelift or Full Facelift. Combined with eyelid surgery, Dr. Mandell-Brown can restore a more youthful appearance. He has taught facelift surgery in Las Vegas, University of San Diego, Louisiana State University and Miami, Florida, and recently contributed a facelift book chapter for plastic surgeons.

THE PLASTIC SURGERY EXPERTS at the

MANDELL-BROWN

PLASTIC DR. MARK MANDELL-BROWN PRESIDENT, AMERICAN ACADEMY OF COSMETIC SURGERY

SURGERY CENTER

513.984.4700 • mandellbrown.com

Dr. Know is Jay Gilbert, weekday afternoon deejay on 92.5 FM The Fox. Submit your questions about the city’s peculiarities at drknow@cincinnati magazine.com

DR. KNOW

the 1880s after Big Railroad tried to cram Time Zones down Americans’ throats. Ofﬁcial Cincinnati Time, though, stubbornly remained off by 22 minutes. Try scheduling that play date. It was 1927 when our great-grandparents dragged every home in Ohio over to the Eastern Time Zone. But Cincinnatians had already gotten the same result by declaring the city a permanent “more daylight” town years earlier. (Everyone used to call it that, until citizens decided that arguing whether “daylight saving” is singular or plural makes for better entertainment.) Chicago, not to be outdone, legislated itself from CST to EST in 1936, then changed its mind nine months later. Seriously, what else would you expect from those crazy Midwesterners?

Q+ A

TV news anchors are all practicing social distancing in the studio. That’s ﬁne, but why do WLWT’s Mike Dardis and Sheree Paolello do it? They’re married! Is the station’s policy that strict? Do they socially distance at home, too? Why can’t this married couple sit closer during their newscast? —SO FAR AWAY DEAR AWAY:

I recently moved here from Detroit and was surprised to learn that Cincinnati is in the Eastern Time Zone. With all the other things I’m adjusting to, I didn’t expect that. Has Cincinnati always been EST? It’s on my mind now that we’ve moved the clocks ahead. —TIME IS ON MY OTHER SIDE

DEAR SIDE:

Humanity has been arguing about time since, well, the beginning of time. Even after progressing past the sundial, pendulum, and Fitbit, we continue to bicker over setting the clock. And Cincinnatians have an extra burden: endlessly reminding people that, no, we do not live in the Central Time Zone. At one time we did, but that was back in

2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

The Doctor thanks you for raising this topic as a question. Today’s tendency is to declare everything as evidence of a conspiracy. They’re too close! They’re spreading the virus into the camera and out of everyone’s TV! Quick, retweet this now or we’ll all die! Mike Dardis says that while he and Paolello are asked this question regularly, they feel certain that the opposite question—why are you sitting so close to each other—would crash the station’s inbox. After several years as co-anchors on WLWT’s evening newscast, the announcement of their engagement and marriage in 2019 got some media attention, but only brieﬂy. Now, as the pandemic requires all in-studio anchors to be properly distanced, Dardis and Paolello don’t expect every viewer to be aware of their unique ILLUSTR ATIO N S BY L A R S LEE TA RU

ASK THE EXPERT ADVERTISEMENT

I remember riding on Central Parkway near Music Hall as a kid in the 1950s and going past something like a sunken sports stadium. The open-air rows of seats dropped below street level. Driving along there now, I see no trace of anything like that. Is this a memory or a dream? — FIELD OF TEAMS DEAR TEAMS:

File your blurry vision under M for Memory; the Parkway Arena was a Cincinnati sports landmark for more than 30 years. Before it was built in 1932, summer wrestling and boxing matches happened at places like Redland Field (before the historic name change) and Coney Island. Parkway Arena quickly became a popular outdoor summer venue, showcasing young athletes like Cassius Clay (before the historic name change) and Ezzard Charles. Its proximity to Music Hall allowed the occasional last-minute move indoors when the weather looked threatening. Don’t worry, classical music lovers: We are not aware of a Moonlight Sonata being disturbed by a GoonNight Testiculata. Your childhood glimpses of Parkway Arena were of its declining years; attendance peaked before the 1950s. It closed for a while, rallied brieﬂy in the ’60s, and was torn down (up?) in 1967. Unlike other beloved Cincinnati sports venues of the past, there is no plaque at 1718 Central Parkway to commemorate this once-grand underground palace. The Doctor valiantly ﬁghts the urge here to make a joke about Plummet Mall.

§ăû §ƕƛłØŅ̐ ŎƕŅăŬ Ŏė First Edition Rare Books, shares trade secrets on how he assesses the value of rare books.

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situation, and they also simply want to set a good example. A viewer thinking , Hey, why aren’t those people farther apart? is shifting attention from the story to the reporter, and any journalist not named Geraldo Rivera wouldn’t let that happen.

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LIVING IN CIN BY JAY GILBERT

What a Fool Believes THE HISTORY OF CINCINNATI’S 23 FINEST, FREAKIEST, AND FAKEST PARADES.

IF YOU HEARD ONLY ONE WEBN FOOL’S PARADE, EVEN FOR JUST AN HOUR OR SO, YOU probably heard the Our Lady of Perpetual Motion Marching Band—an indefatigable troupe that’s been marching continuously since 1968. These tireless players were already world famous when they helped the radio station launch the very first Fool’s Parade in 1976, and they graciously adapted their relentless schedule to ours again and again. Out of countless participants spanning more than two decades, they were the only ones who never missed a year. Our Lady of Perpetual Motion, of course, took part in our tear-filled and emotional Final Fool’s Parade. Also the two Final Fool’s Parades after that. Like WEBN’s vastly better-known fireworks, the Fool’s Parade began as a one-time event that unintentionally became a tradition. We couldn’t stop. Each April 1 morn2 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

ing—we always called it March 32—lastminute preparations rumbled beneath the windows of our third-ﬂoor studios on Hyde Park Square. Official festivities kicked off promptly, rain or shine, at 10. Or 11, noon, or 1, but always promptly. As paraders triumphantly circled the square, our air staff offered on-scene reports of the cheering crowds, elaborate ﬂoats, guest performers, badly lip-synched songs, and exclusive interviews. It didn’t matter if you weren’t there, because WEBN’s live radio coverage made you feel like you were. YOU KNOW THE TRUTH, RIGHT? NOTHING was happening on Hyde Park Square, absolutely nothing. Just the usual exclusive shops with nowhere to park. The radio station staff would spend weeks creating sketches and sound effect P H O T O G R A P H BY A A R O N M . CO N WAY

loops for a big April Fool’s joke that fooled nobody but delighted everybody. The parade existed only on your radio and in your head. Each parade was themed as a tribute to the world’s most recent fools in the categories of news, popular culture, and everyone’s favorite topic, sudden unintended fame. (We’re talking to you, John Wayne Bobbitt.) Floats, interviews, and fake sponsorships targeted the past year’s most embarrassing stories and personalities, along with whatever else we thought would get a laugh. I’ve listened back to the handful of surviving parade recordings and hereby acknowledge that much of what we did was stupid and juvenile. My apologies to those who committed to the entire damn day. Within those dozens of hours across 23 years, though, we did manage to create the occasional, um, moment. We had no giant balloons like Macy’s (couldn’t afford the Disney royalties). But oh, those many, many floats. Perhaps you didn’t appreciate our early prototype for Riverfest’s Rubber Duck Regatta—the float that launched tens of thousands of heliumfilled condoms to promote safe sex. (“Look, the ribbed ones are catching the wind better!”) Or the concession stands selling our ever-popular Hamster on a Stick. Cheers always accompanied the Cincinnati Chili float as it passed, covered with 300 pounds of grated cheese and powered by its own gas. (As I said, juvenile.) Sadly, the Cincinnati Public School Levy float often failed to pass. Then there were the commercials. WEBN was already famous for fake ads, but we stooped to new levels on April 1. Sponsorships included Lee Iacocca Cola (“The taste you’re sure to recall!”); Doctor DriveThru (“The automatic Hippocratic!”); innovative telephone services like Call Backwarding (“Sends someone’s call to the place you just left!”); public service announcements supporting worthy causes like Mrs. Paul’s Home for Battered Fish; and that oftmispronounced premium wine, Pete Rosé. The station’s sales department sometimes persuaded real local car dealers and ad icons to perform the absurd scripts we’d written for them and let us screw with their jingles. Fool’s Parades always included song parodies based on the day’s hot topics. For instance, you may perhaps vaguely recall

the Bill Clinton–Monica Lewinsky scandal. Instead of playing Chumbawamba singing, “I get knocked down, but I get up again,” we had Clinton singing, “I whip it out, I zip it up again.” When the biggest musical event of 1985 was the star-studded song “We Are the World,” our parade kicked off with “We Are the Fools,” an elaborate parody produced à la Quincy Jones in a large downtown studio featuring a video of Cincinnati luminaries singing along. You can find that video online, along with audio shards from many different Fool’s Parades, but I hesitate to fully endorse your taking the trouble. I’m proud of some segments, but others haven’t aged well. Certain things I would charitably describe as “of their time” while I back away and avoid eye contact. Some jokes are so dated I don’t even get them anymore. A brief moment from 1983 mentions Cincinnati Magazine, and I can’t find a current staffer or alumnus who understands what the hell it means. ONE DIMENSION OF THE WEBN FOOL’S Parade era deserves a special mention: After we’d been doing it for a few years, a group of people began circling Hyde Park Square on April Fool’s Day with handmade signs, costumes, and sort-of floats (if lawnmowers qualify as floats). Without any prompting from us, listeners were now showing up and actually parading! When a real-live parade ends, the floats pull over and the musicians wander away. That’s sort of what the WEBN Fool’s Parade did. It faded out like a classic rock song. By the 1990s, we were finishing the festivities in mid-afternoon and then repeating the better moments between songs. The burgeoning consolidation of the radio business was shrinking our staff and stressing our time, and we got tired. Eventually, in 1996, we announced the 20th anniversary Final Fool’s Parade. As it happened, magicians Penn & Teller came to town just before that big day, and they agreed to highlight our farewell by recording a quick trick of “making the Fool’s Parade disappear!” Ha ha, right? Wrong, very wrong. This was also one of those years when April Fool’s Day coincided with Opening Day for the Reds, and in that game’s first inning, right after

Penn & Teller had killed off our parade, the home plate umpire at Riverfront Stadium collapsed from a heart attack and died. I was the DJ on the air. No matter how many times I repeated that Hey, I am not kidding, I swear this really just happened, angry listeners complained about how WEBN had really crossed the line. I was stuck on the air with a non-joke trapped inside a joke. We got through that day, deﬁnitely better than Marge Schott did (look it up). The months went by, and it turned out that WEBN was just like Frank Sinatra and Kiss: we’d been lying about retiring. On March 32, 1997, out came the Second Annual Final Fool’s Parade! A year later there was a third, but that one was clearly the end. We created some good fake commercials and songs and stuff, but they were scattered through the day as “replays” of a Fool’s Parade that had already happened overnight. It was our weak excuse to produce only a few bits and be done with it. At least we got Our Lady of Perpetual Motion to take a few more laps. The following year we defaulted to a typical lame-radio-station-April-Fool stunt that I don’t even want to discuss. Sigh. We’ll always have Riverfest. Here’s looking at you, fool. I’ve already written in this magazine about being a kid in the 1960s and hearing the very last gasps of old-time radio. About how I grew up eager to paint rich visual images exclusively for the mind’s eye. Hardly anyone does this anymore, and your ears deserve better. Every March 32, the WEBN Fool’s Parade delivered some last chances to experience visions stirred by sound. I was lucky to get to Cincinnati just in time to be part of it, and Cincinnati was lucky to receive it. Other WEBN projects gave me similar opportunities, as did my side career producing radio commercials, but the gold standard for creating an entire universe out of nothing was the Fool’s Parade. It was our own Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory, a world of pure imagination. Take a moment and listen. Our Lady of Perpetual Motion Marching Band is still out there somewhere, pounding their big bass drums. You are especially blessed if you can hear them, and—this is the important part—if you can see them. A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 2 9

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with Schiff’s thought that “it needed a bit of color,” chose to give it new life. When he was ﬁnished, the home’s footprint would remain the same, but its look would be dramatically altered. In fact, García’s work set the tone for his career moving forward. He renovated the home using building materials no one else in Cincinnati had thought to use together before: zinc exterior tile cladding; mahogany; perforated metal panels; veined marble inside and out; woven ribbons of stainless steel; cobalt blue glass—even a concrete sink with oak support timbers that García designed and hand-made himself. “When you think about the variety of materials, they sound like a hodgepodge,” says Schiff. “But all those things worked together. It’s really quite striking.” Coming on the heels of the Lightborne project, that bold remake of the Roush house launched García’s career as one of the most notable local architects of our time. Now, nearly 45 undeniably unique built projects later, García is best described as a true creative—ever exploring, always pushing boundaries, and continually seeking to learn more. Never imitating what’s out there already, or conforming to the status quo. Just passionately forging ahead on a personal quest to keep architecture beautiful, innovative, and more relevant than ever.

Hands On ARCHITECT JOSÉ GARCÍA BUILDS A NEW KIND OF CONNECTION.

QUIETLY, FOR 30-PLUS YEARS NOW, ARCHITECT JOSÉ GARCÍA HAS BEEN MAKING AN INDELible mark on the greater Cincinnati built landscape. He came here in 1985 from Argentina to study at the University of Cincinnati and, 12 years later, he officially grabbed the attention of local design fans with Lightborne’s 14th Street building. The then-groundbreaking exploration of metal, concrete, and glass with a freestanding concrete staircase that looks remarkably like a human spine was undeniably his. The building would impress Lightborne CEO (and local photographer and businessman) Tom Schiff so much, he would commission García to renovate his own Hyde Park home—a deteriorating white Ray Roush–designed structure Schiff had recently purchased. Other architects might have advocated for restoring it or tearing it down, but García, armed 3 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

BORN AND RAISED AT THE TIP OF SOUTH America, in Argentina’s Patagonia region, “I grew up in a little bit of an idyllic situation,” says García. “It was small. It was safe. I think I grew up eating organic food without knowing it was organic.” Maybe more relevant to his future career, he grew up half a block away from “one of the best carpenter companies, still today, that I’ve ever seen,” says García. “Walking to school and back, seeing all those huge boards being air-dried, smelling the wood and hearing the saws—it came into my system by association, by being present,” says García, who was amazed by the carpenters’ handiwork. “I would see how these guys would handcraft dovetails—there were no machines or anything. The joints and the precision and the care— it was a different world.” When it came time for college, that respect for the built environment stayed with him. Though García had initially planned P HP HO OT OT OG RG RA PA HP HB YB YJ OJ ENRA ET M H AY NK RWAI LMLEI RS

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PERSON OF INTEREST to study medicine, he switched at the last minute to architecture. His first job after school (and required military service) was with an Argentinian design-build firm, where he learned about the entire building process, from development through design and construction. (Traditional architecture firms design buildings but don’t always handle development and construction work.) When friends returned from the U.S., talking about all they’d learned while studying at UC, García signed up to do the same because post-graduate education “did not exist” then in Argentina, he says. In late 1985, he, his wife, Cora, and their firstborn daughter, Julia—then 2 months old—moved to Cincinnati with little more than $500 to their names. “My God we were poor!” García says, thinking back. After graduating from UC, he still wanted to learn more, so the family moved to New Jersey, where García studied at Princeton—“I was extremely hungry there for absorbing things,” he says—and worked briefly with

“starchitect” (and Strauss & Roush protégé) Michael Graves. After graduation, the Garcías returned to Cincinnati “with the idea that we were only going to be here for a couple years.” Three decades and three more kids later, he says, “we never left, and now this is home—like really home.” In his early post-Princeton days, García worked with several ﬁrms here in town and spent about six years, on and off, teaching at Miami University. A second experience with a design-build ﬁrm, this time Al. Neyer, cemented his preference for working in that more holistic way. Meantime, circa 1991, he also began “guerilla practicing” on the side, he says—designing homes for individual clients. In fact, it was an encounter with budget realities in one of those side projects that led him to start hand-crafting some parts of his projects himself, like the powder room sink he’d eventually make for Schiff. “I designed a few things,” says García, but “as we priced them, they came back outrageously expensive. I was really

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determined, and I thought: If I have to do it myself, we’re gonna do what we want.” Eventually, in 2006, he formally founded his own design-build firm, José García Design. Of the roughly 120 unique projects he has designed since then, 45 of them have been built, most here in greater Cincinnati. “It’s been very busy, but not all the projects came to realization,” says García. “Nature of the beast.” His work—which Schiff calls both “meaningful and very significant”— is so different from anything else locally it touches people almost immediately, in a very visceral way. They, in turn, want to touch it: sleek marble panels backlit at night so they appear translucent; concrete columns that look more like tree trunks with roots; prim horizontal wood slats that form a staircase banister; tall panels of green glass to accent the exterior corners of a stone-and-zinc-clad home. When he can’t make things by hand himself, “we go to the actual source, not the final vendor. That’s how we get more for the

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money—a lot more,” says García (materials like rough-hewn wood beams; weathered shingles; subway-shaped zinc tiles; pallets of white brick). And, unlike so many in design today, García sees beauty in the natural aging process of materials. “Wood eventually will decay if you don’t take care of it,” says García. “There’s dirt that will get in there. In the world of abstraction, dirt or natural decay destroy the idea, right?” But in the real world, he says, materials exist “in the wind and the rain and sun. I’m trying to welcome that. It’s a mix of beauty and science.” GARCÍA SPENDS A LOT OF TIME IN GENeral thinking about the trade-offs evolution brings, especially as technology becomes an increasingly integral part of our lives. Air-conditioning is a great example, he says. “Look at the office buildings. They have no operable windows; you’re closed off in your cell. As stupid as that may sound, there is a connection that goes to

your human core between climate, weather, and your self—as in your being.” That, he concludes, is the “price you pay.” The people working inside are less connected to both the earth and to each other. Architecture, of course, has the ability to either enable that growing disconnect or serve as a sort of antidote. One way his industry can keep people more connected and grounded in the hereand-now, he says, is by encouraging future generations of architects to be more handson and involved in the entire building process. In fact, he strongly regrets “not having done [all of] that a long, long time ago.” As a former educator, he also wishes universitylevel architecture programs would focus less on teaching and more on training. “I would suggest a better way of approaching it is not from a school standpoint,” he says, “but more like the apprentice relationship.” As for García’s personal future, more amazing houses are in the works, always. But also expect multiple small develop-

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ment projects “in sectors of the market not normally served by high design,” he says, plus separate projects aimed at “trying to use the enormous amount of trash generated on job sites.” Soon, he’ll open a new office in Bond Hill, near the former Cincinnati Gardens site. Through all of this, two things seem certain: Each of these projects will involve an unexpected or innovative use of materials and García will be thoroughly immersed in the process. As the interview for this story wraps up, García adds one last thought to the conversation. “We never talked about all the failures along the way,” he says, laughing. “I read a beautiful book once about business. On average, top CEOs of very successful companies failed—like ﬂat-on-your-facefailed—an average of 10 times. These people were like, Bomb! Busted! So that gives you kind of hope.” And maybe serves as a strong reminder to fellow creatives everywhere: If you aren’t failing, you probably aren’t trying hard enough.

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THE MEANING of FINDING MEANING Holistic self-care is just the beginning of a new life journey, not the ﬁnal destination. —LISA MURTHA I K N E W M Y D AY S A S A B U S I N E S S M A J O R W E R E N U M B E R E D

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STRESS BUSTER

when I failed Econ 101 my freshman year in college. But the one class that always stuck with me from that transitional time was a philosophy elective called God, Evil, and the Meaning of Life. My final assignment as a newly minted 19-year-old was a paper, titled (aptly) “The Meaning of My Life.” I fumbled my way through it, but the fact was I hadn’t lived enough yet to know. The best I could do was make a good guess. I didn’t think much about that time again, until a few years ago, when I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital after a life-altering health scare. Pretty much every doctor I saw said I was lucky to be alive. But after a week or so of feeling euphoric, I found myself strangely overwhelmed at the gift of a second chance and asking some pretty deep questions. Had my life been spared for a reason? Did I want to keep living the way I had been so far? Finding meaning suddenly came to the forefront again. Searching for answers, I turned first to my writing—a constant source of reassurance throughout my life. I’d brought a laptop with me to the hospital, in fact, so I could meet a story deadline. But something had changed in recent years. I’d written more stories, earned more recognition, and tackled more difficult projects than ever before, yet nothing I did ever felt like enough. I rarely let my mind stay long in the present, constantly pushing ahead to my next big project. At home, I felt out of touch with people and things that really mattered: family, friends, my faith. Caring for my body through food and exercise had become an afterthought. I needed physical healing, but I also needed something more: holistic healing of the whole self—mind, body, and soul. It wasn’t going to be a quick fix, but I knew the journey had to start with some serious self-care.

LO O K U P “ S E L F - C A R E ” O N L I N E , A N D YO U ’ L L G E T M O R E

search results than you can imagine—articles and ads about everything from homeopathic potions and alternative medicines to herbal tea, aromatherapy, journals, crystals, coloring books, candles, meditation tips, and weighted blankets. But the best, and simplest, deﬁnition I found while researching this topic came from Stevi Carr, founder of a new women’s health initiative called the Wise Wellness Guild. Self-care, she says, is “getting back to the basics.” Not facials or cocktails with friends, though many of us miss these things dearly during the pandemic. Not golf weekends or nights out. Not aromatherapy pillows or massage chairs or actually anything you can buy. According to holistic R.N. Melissa Dyer, self-care is all about “getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, eating real food, taking care of your mental health, and having good relationships.” Truly, getting back to the basics. Some of these things, I found out, can be much harder to tackle than boiling a cup of tea or lighting a scented candle. And yet, in a pandemic-stricken world still moving in many ways at 5G speed, the basics matter now more than ever before.

Think of yourself as a top, says Carr. “If you’re centered and balanced on all of the pieces [in your life], you continue to spin. But if you’re out of whack in one area or another, there’s no way you can keep going and be in that ﬂow. The goal is to continue to spin. Burnout looks like ﬂying off the table.” Or, in my case, having an existential crisis. Last spring, a University of Copenhagen associate professor reported that global online searches for prayer had “jumped to the highest level ever recorded” in response to the pandemic. Locally, APRIL 2021

both Dyer and Carr saw corresponding upticks in interest in holistic healing and self-care. Dyer says her Florence-based Covenant Natural Health Care, which emphasizes healing through nutrition and supplements, “went from seeing about six new patients a week to 20 new patients a week” by the end of 2020. Carr’s Wise Wellness Guild expanded from a small test market in Cincinnati to clients in 13 states and ﬁve countries and a partnership with The Christ Hospital. In short, says Dyer, the pandemic “has driven people to say, I’m going to do something about my health now instead of waiting until I have a problem.” That proactive approach to whole-self healing sits in sharp contrast to more traditional, reactive tendencies like turning to medical doctors and prescription drugs when we have a problem. “Medicine is designed by people who are geniuses,” says Dyer, and sometimes that approach is necessary. Ultimately, though, “it’s a Band-Aid. It’s meant to be a temporary thing.” Traditional medicine takes into account just one-third of what makes up a human, says Dyer—the body, but not so much the mind and spirit. Holistic healing, she says, is a life change that has to “start with the spiritual and ﬂow into emotions” before physical healing can even occur. “I have supplements I can sell you all day long,” she adds, but patients who don’t get to the root of their problems will never be truly cured. And no amount of yoga, says Carr, “can combat you getting just four hours of sleep a night.” W H AT D O E S S E L F - C A R E LO O K L I K E I N P R A C T I C E ? F O R

starters, says Dyer, breaking down big changes into small chunks so you don’t get overwhelmed and revert back to your old ways— like going to bed 15 minutes earlier every week for a month until you’re finally getting enough sleep. For me, it took an entire year to start thinking about meals as fuel instead of just another obligation, to develop daily prayer and meditation habits, and to remind myself to stop every once in a while—even in the face of adversity—to be grateful for what I had. Sure, I slip back into my old ways sometimes, but my own year-long journey to holistic healing taught me how to right my own ship. There’s one more thing I learned that, in my experience, doesn’t get enough attention: It turns out that turning inward can take you only so far. In 2017, researchers published a study in the journal BMC Health showing that volunteering your time to help others, in just about any form you can fathom, “had significant health effects.” Not only that, but something the researchers called “other-oriented volunteering” (“altruistic” volunteer jobs in sectors like health, education, religious groups, human services, public/social benefits, and youth development) had “significantly stronger effects on the health outcomes of mental and physical health, life satisfaction, and social well-being than did self-oriented volunteering” (“selfserving” volunteer jobs in sectors like culture/recreation, environment, law/politics, and business or professional services). In other words, the study found that giving back—simply for its own sake, and expecting nothing in return—can truly change your life for the better. Seems a long way from self-care and holistic healing, but it’s not. Self-care, I learned, isn’t an end point; it’s just the first step on the journey toward holistic healing. And holistic healing is only the second step on an even bigger journey. Life, I learned, is most fulfilling when you take that newly minted version of yourself—the one you’ve improved through all

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the self-care and healing—and start giving back any way you can. Volunteering is fantastic, but you can also resolve to start doing nice things for a coworker or something special every so often for your spouse or kids. You can make an effort to hold doors open for strangers walking behind you or pay for another person’s coffee in the takeout line. You can informally serve as a mentor to someone younger or offer to run a neighbor’s errands whenever he or she is sick. The options are endless, as are the opportunities. The Jesuits call it being “men and women for others.” Thirty years after writing that old college paper on “The Meaning of My Life,” I decided to dig it out of a basement bin and re-read it. I admitted not knowing the official answer, but even then— before I’d ever heard of the Jesuits—I knew a life of substance included making more of an effort to think about and understand other people and ﬁnding good even in experiences that were bad.

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Give your Mr. Coffee a break and drink in the craft of local java legend Chuck Pfahler at Adesso in Mason. With his reﬁned menu of coffee and espresso drinks, wine, cocktails, and locally sourced eats, Adesso—which means now in Italian—is the perfect space to enjoy a moment. 125 E. Main St., Mason, adessoisnow.com

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STRESS BUSTER

WRITE IT DOWN Journal writing is one way to express ourselves in a judgment-free space, providing a means to grieve, deal with anxiety, and think positively. “When I journal, I’m not writing for anyone but myself,” says Dani McClain, the Cincinnati Public Library’s writer-inresidence, on her blog. “I’m not as worried about whether I’m being clear or relatable.” cincinnatilibrary.org/author/danim — J .Y. G .

I’m still learning more each day, but it turns out that 19-yearold Lisa wasn’t as ignorant as I remembered. It just took a mid-life journey through self-care and holistic healing for me to remember what really mattered. APRIL 2021

W H E N M Y PA R T N E R A S K E D M E

OM SWEET OM Yoga’s focus on self-healing has become the perfect tonic for many during the pandemic. —CEDRIC ROSE

to join her for a free outdoor yoga session one summer night in Washington Park, I was reluctant. Wasn’t yoga for the young, the ﬁt, the ultra-ﬂexible? I tagged along, and, sure enough, the poses helped my perennial back pain. But it was when we closed our eyes and collectively turned within—hundreds of us breathing as one in the lengthening shadow of Music Hall—that I felt a sense of wellbeing quite unlike any I’ve felt before. Yoga was already having a moment before a year of pandemic and political turmoil underscored a need for its stressrelieving powers. Forced to temporarily close doors during lockdown, studios got creative and connected digitally. It was a learning experience that just might leave the local yoga community even stronger than before. Asanas (poses) are just one of the “eight limbs of yoga,” says Yoga Bar owner, instructor, and Kentucky state legislator Rachel Roberts. Yoga also includes a philosophical and spiritual practice, meditation, and breathing in order to calm the mind, end suffering, and heal the whole being. Those healing roots are visible in her story and others’ stories. Roberts turned to yoga as a teen because she was uncomfortable with the steroid inhaler she was prescribed for asthma. “Pranayama,” or breath control, has allowed

her to live mostly inhaler-free. “Another of yoga’s limbs is to do no harm, including to one’s self,” she says. “So I think part of why yoga is having such a resurgence now is because we have a mental health crisis in this country and yoga is one of the ways we can be really kind to ourselves and really gentle with ourselves.” NKO Yoga Studio owner Natasha Kohorst also turned to yoga for healing. When hip replacements at age 40 left her with mobility issues, her daughter talked her into trying a class at the Blue Ash YMCA. Kohorst soon kicked her cane and was hooked. Today she’s a certiﬁed yoga instructor and runs the only Black-owned studio in town she’s aware of, practicing an art that most of us have come to associate, despite its Asian origins, with affluent white people. A man once said to her, “You don’t look like the typical yoga teacher.” Of course she doesn’t ﬁt that mold, Kohorst says, because yoga is what’s inside of you. She fervently believes that yoga is for everyone, and is all too aware that those who need it the most might not think it’s for them or have access to it. She hopes that increased availability, often through community-based classes—including the $5 class she leads in Chamberlin Park, supported by the city of Deer Park—will help drive diversity. “Yoga is all for you,” says Kohorst. “It’s your practice. It’s not dependent on the person next to you.”

SELF CARE

New Spins on Exercise Five spots where you can strengthen body and soul. —Elizabeth Miller Wood

FIND YOUR INNER CHILD

OUTDOOR FREEDOM

Children know something about exercise that adults often forget—that movement should be fun. When you strap into the harness of Fly Bungee Fitness, you’ll leap, jump, and ﬂy in an hour-long class of childlike abandon. So fun, you’ll forget it’s exercise. 4820 Ridge Rd., Oakley, flybungeefitness.com

You’ll hear the call of the wild at Roads Rivers and Trails, a small-yet-mighty haven of all things hiking, kayaking, and outdoor adventure. Whether sizing up paddles or ﬁtting a trail shoe, the savvy staff serves as your trusted guide to new horizons. 118 Main St., Milford, roadsriversandtrails.com

Donna Rubin, who runs the Threelegged Dog Yoga Collective, agrees that self-reliance is a key takeaway from the pandemic. Rubin ﬁrst trained in Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga in San Francisco more than 15 years ago, and today she offers both group and one-and-one instruction, often donation-based, through Zoom. And, weather permitting, she leads classes outdoors.

“Ultimately, what did being locked down tell us? That if you can’t leave your house, you should still be able to do your own practice and meditation,” she says. That doesn’t diminish the importance of practicing in a group. “There’s great healing that occurs in community,” says Rubin. “We’re feeling someone else’s pain and helping them with it, and vice versa.”

STRESS BUSTER

Embra studio director Alyssa Hayes has also watched clients, initially devastated by the studio’s temporary closure, build at-home practices. And she’s felt their enthusiasm to return to the studio, reopened now at partial capacity, where she checks their temperatures at the door. Embra is a hot studio. The room is kept around 102 degrees with 20–40 percent humidity, while “lightly heated” classes hover around 80 degrees. Hot yoga can be addictive, Hayes says. “You have a lot more mobility, and you’ll sweat more than you’ve ever sweated in your life.” Hayes has also seen the pandemic’s mental health pressures. For many, she says, yoga is therapy and a release. “So we really try to touch on that mind/body/spirit whole-person aspect of yoga,” she says. But where to begin, with so many yoga schools and styles—Ashtanga, Bikram, Vinyasa, Yin—to choose from? “Find the easiest class that your mind can focus in and start there,” says Roberts. “Then build up.”

LOVE A PLANT By nurturing a plant you also nurture yourself, says Erikka Gray, co-owner of Pause Cincinnati in Corryville. “Plants help us step away from technology and have something to actively take care of,” she says. “And they help purify the air.” Gray suggests easyto-care-for varieties like spider plants and peace lilies. 2908 Short Vine St., Corryville, instagram.com/pausecincy — J .Y. G .

DISCOVERY ZONE

BIKE BUDDIES

BE SMART ON YOUR FEET

The name PoleKittens Fitness might sound like a pet-friendly gym, but make no mistake—the art (yes, art) of pole dancing isn’t merely physical. Group classes, individual lessons, and private parties will help you gain conﬁdence, empowerment, and perhaps reveal a sexy inner kitten. 4719 Vine St., St. Bernard, polecore.com

For alfresco cardio that’s good for your lungs and kind to your joints, consider the bicycle your new best friend. For novices and pros alike, Jim’s Bicycle Shop has kept cyclists’ wheels turning since 1976. Bonus tip: Cruise the newly expanded Wasson Way on your next wheeled excursion. 8015 Plainfield Rd., Deer Park, jimsbicycleshop.com

It’s true: Running makes you smarter by building gray matter in the brain, which improves memory and cognitive learning abilities. The Tri-State Running Company helps brainy runners on both sides of the river put their best feet forward. 148 Barnwood Dr., Edgewood; 7433 Wooster Pke., Mariemont; tristaterunning.com APRIL 2021

TRYING TO BE YOURSELF Mental health therapists advocate for preventative care now more than ever.

SELF CARE

Mind the Gaps A mini crash course on managing self-care from three life coaches. —Grace Dearing

SELF-ACCEPTANCE IS CRUCIAL “It’s OK to be human,” says Esposito. “Whatever is rejected in consciousness goes into the shadow and is projected onto others and the world. Practicing self-acceptance, non-judgment, and self-love are paramount to personal growth.”

DON’T TRY TO CONTROL EVERYTHING

IT’S OK TO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU WANT

“You can’t control everything in life, but you can decide how the uncontrollable impacts your life,” says Rachel Schwartzman Murphy of MindSettings (mindsettings.org). “Most things are out of your control. Surrendering to this reality brings serenity,” says Ron Esposito of the Conscious Living Center (goconscious.com).

“From working with individuals to Fortune 500 clients, I’ve learned that a lack of clarity doesn’t mean the answers aren’t there—it simply means they’re waiting to be uncovered. Clarity lies in the determination of the person who values the answers more than their fear,” says Christine Bunnell (christinebunnell.com).

ACKNOWLEDGE THE WAY YOU THINK

IT’S OK TO BE A BIT SELFISH

“You can change your entire life just by changing the way you think,” says Murphy. “What is right and wrong is subjective, and you don’t have to believe everything you think. You will always get more of the things you focus on, regardless of whether you actually want it or not.”

“What would you absolutely love for every aspect of your life?” says Bunnell. “Does it seem like a selﬁsh question or maybe even an indulgent question in the midst of the chaos we’re facing today? When we take the time to know who we are, what we would love, and why, we equip ourselves with a lifeline that allows others to do the same.”

—GRACE DEARING

W H I L E COV I D -1 9 P E R S I STS , S O -

ciety battles racial hurdles, and political tensions remain strong, our mental health is more challenged than ever. For some therapists, the country’s current climate has forced them to readapt and approach their practice in a new way. “My therapists have had conversations about having to stop current treatment in order to really dive in and process what’s happening on the news,” says Jennifer SheardLynch, co-owner of Poppy’s Therapeutic Corner in North College Hill. As a team specialized in cultural competency, mental health therapists at Poppy’s have had to quickly adjust in order to treat imminent triggers that recent events have posed. These events heighten feelings of anxiety and depression in all individuals, especially those who have a history of mental health struggles. In 2019, the National Institute of Mental Health reported that 51.5 million U.S. adults deal with mental illness. Of this group, only 23 million received professional care. While this disparity may be the result of many different factors, including social and economic resources, it can also be due to the negative stigma that still surrounds mental health. “There are still many people out there who perceive mental illness

as, There’s something wrong with me,” says Chris Tuell, clinical director of addiction services at the Lindner Center of Hope. “They see it as a sign of weakness. So that prevents a lot of people from getting help.” Hesitancy to seek out professional help through therapy, Tuell says, can further cause mental illness to impact an individual’s day-to-day functionality. He’s found that many of the substance abuse issues his patients struggle with stem from a cooccurring illness like depression or anxiety. In many cases, these conditions are worsening as COVID-19 persists. “When people have mental health issues and/or substance abuse, there’s a natural tendency to disconnect and isolate from others,” says Tuell. “When we’re told to social distance and basically disconnect from people, that just exacerbates the situation.” According to Stephanie Kemme, a mental health therapist at Restoring Hope Counseling & Coaching in Finneytown, the correlation between the pandemic and mental health has prompted an increase in individuals seeking professional care. Despite the common misconception that therapy is “just talking,” Kemme argues that regular visits have real benefits. “Sitting down with a therapist who is trained in active listening, reflective listening, and has the ability to empathize with individuals and just being heard and validated in your experience is extremely helpful,” she says. “Just having somebody to sit down with to dedicate an hour of your time for yourself each week is huge, specifically during isolation, when you may not have a set support system.” Lynch says these regular visits are especially beneficial for those who have had to spend the duration of the pandemic at home in an unsafe situation. For these circumstances, if an individual can’t make an in-person appointment with a therapist, she recommends trying a telehealth appointment while on a walk outside, at a park, or in a car, where they can speak freely. Even for those who don’t need weekly visits, Lynch, Kemme, and Tuell are adamant that mental health care isn’t exclusively for those presently struggling. Maintenance therapy is just as crucial for a healthy mental state, and plans can be as frequent as every other week or as rare as every few months. “It should be in the same realm as all the other physical medical ele-

ments that we have to take care of,” Lynch says. “Because you’re walking around each day with a cloud in your mind—these consistent and pressuring thoughts—and you need to have a place where you can release that.” Additionally, Lynch says, someone’s mental health can also be cared for from home through podcasts and research articles. Kemme also says being social via Zoom or socially-distanced STRESS walks can be instruBUSTER mental in coping with physical iso-

lation. All of these coping mechanisms can be beneﬁcial until an individual feels comfortable seeking professional help. “It can be scary taking the ﬁrst step,” says Lynch. “Many people don’t want to seem ‘soft’ or have people see them hurt or upset. But in therapy, you have your small corner of the world that you can come to and you can just be yourself.”

YOUR NOSE KNOWS Aromatherapy is the use of aromatic plant extracts to boost well-being by inhaling (like a candle) or applying directly to the body (like a massage oil) to help manage pain, reduce stress and anxiety, improve digestion, and even ﬁght bacteria. “We know smell and memory are really tied together,” says Erikka Gray, “so pick a scent that reminds you of a more peaceful time.”— J .Y. G .

APRIL 2021

A SAFE SPACE in CHANGING TIMES Alternative spirituality practitioners oﬀer wisdom and meaning for those on a new path. — N ATA L I E C L A R E

WHILE CHANGE ITSELF IS A CER-

tainty of life, it’s rare that we experience as much transformation as quickly and as collectively as with the pandemic. The past year has encouraged many to reﬂect on their practices of faith, including the exploration, or deepening, of alternative spirituality and wellness. “We’ve had some big transits or planetary events that even the mainstream media has begun to buzz about,” says Pam Gallagher, founder of the Midwest School of Astrology and Lightpath Discovery Center. “We are in changing times, there’s no doubt about it.” Astrology teaches that the energy of celestial events can be felt on Earth because the relationship between those events and life itself is intertwined. Gallagher points to Pluto’s completion of its 248-year orbit around the sun in 2021–2022 as one of the events we’re feeling now. “Pluto rules death, endings, and transformation,” she says. “It rules deep change.”

GET IT TOGETHER Not only does disorganization stress us out, but studies have also shown that mess distracts us and makes us less productive. In fact, evidence suggests that clutter can increase our levels of the stress hormone cortisol. When in doubt, think, What would Marie Kondo do? konmari.com— J .Y. G .

Gallagher has been studying astrological charts for more than 50 years and has numerous certiﬁcations from astrological organizations. With her daughter, Mindy, she teaches a three-level program on how to draw out wisdom from reading charts, moon phases, and weather patterns. A oneon-one consultation may include a reading of the client’s natal chart, which reveals the placement of planets and celestial bodies at his or her exact birth time, date, and location. Each placement carries a unique and complex meaning, and Gallagher hopes it offers insight that can inﬂuence personal growth. “Astrology is a timing tool for understanding the cycles and the rhythms you’re in,” she says, likening it to the study of mathematics. In his downtown studio, Shine Your Light Wellness, psychic medium, hypnotist, and healer Jimi Merk has been tending to clients’ spiritual energy for more than 20 years. He utilizes clairvoyant intuition to assess someone’s soul path, understand what ancestral trauSTRESS ma they’ve inherBUSTER ited, and facilitate communication with their spirit guides. His goal is to help a person clarify self-perception compared to

what the spirit guides are revealing. Psychic readings with Merk are, not surprisingly, highly individualized. “The need for attention to speciﬁc areas of life, conscious spirituality, and emotion are always going to be different because we’re all very, very layered,” he says. “There’s a lot to us that we don’t even understand, and I feel it’s my job to not only expose the truth and the strength of what is inside of us— coming through us, being given to us by our guidance—but also to teach you what to do with it.” In a typical session with Merk, a client has a psychic consultation and intuitive reading, along with an energy healing session. He incorporates crystals, aromatherapy, meditative breathing, and chakra work to care for a person’s wounds, be they emotional, psychological, physical, or spiritual. “I really feel like 2020 was a blessing in some way because it forced us to go inward,” he says. “When you have nobody else to argue with at the bar every night, when you have nobody at your office you can shoot the breeze with because you’re working from home, it forces you to have really chew on how you feel personally.” Helping people “go inward” is also the goal at The Mindful Nest in Northside, a holistic healing shop owned by Darci Gruenwald specializing in metaphysical products like tarot cards, crystals, essential oils, books, candles, and sage bundles. Gruenwald says she’s driven to provide tools for tapping into and trusting one’s intuition. Gruenwald had visited a number of metaphysical stores while traveling, but Cincinnati seemed to lack enough options despite a strong cultural interest in selfcare and alt spirituality. A 2017 Pew Research Center study, in fact, found that six in 10 American adults accept at least one new age belief like reincarnation, psychics, and spiritual energy. Gruenwald’s store is infused with such metaphysical energy. Gruenwald considers The Mindful Nest a safe space for people to explore different forms of spirituality and alternative means of wellness, no matter their depth of knowledge. “Everybody is on their own path, and everybody needs different things at different times,” she says. “You know, who am I to judge anybody else? Who is anybody to judge? This is just what feels right to me.”

APRIL 2021

CINCINNATI GETS HIP TO HOPS GROWING HOPS ON SMALL SUBURBAN PLOTS CONNECTS BEER FANS AND BREWERS TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE EARTH.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY AARON M. CONWAY TEXT BY DAMIAN DOTTERWEICH

few years ago, longtime friends Shawn Carson and Andrew Conn were discussing how the local restaurant scene’s farm-to-table ethos hadn’t yet spilled over into the burgeoning craft brewing community. The two had a thirst to get back to their agricultural roots, so over beers they hatched a plan to become a planting partner for local brewers. Carson, an anesthesiologist, and Conn, a managing partner for his family’s construction company, decided their side hustle would have to start small. Barley—one of beer’s four main ingredients along with water, hops, and yeast—was their initial focus, but growing it requires a lot of acreage, so instead they launched Hopped Farms. You’ll be able to enjoy the fruits (technically hops are ﬂowers) of their labor this fall at several local breweries, where the farm-to-glass freshness creates a uniquely satisfying ﬂavor. 47

BACK TO THEIR ROOTS Shawn Carson used to spend summers and holidays on his grandfather’s farm in Missouri, and Andrew Conn’s family has raised livestock for two generations (left and opposite page). They launched Hopped Farms on two one-acre plots in Indian Hill, one near Symmes Township and one near Milford.

Hopped Farms produces 1,000 LBS. of hops annually.

SPRING HAS SPRUNG Carson and Conn hang rot- and pest-resistant coconut ﬁber from an elaborate grid of steel cables (left) to guide the growing hops, and use a blowtorch to kill harmful molds, fungi, and mildew (below).

HOP TO IT Cincinnati’s hot, humid summers aren’t ideal for growing hops; 98 percent of commercial U.S. hops farms are in the Paciﬁc Northwest. But Hopped Farms now grows more than a dozen varieties. “We’ve developed a kinship with them about amazingly good, fresh local hops, and about conservation,” says Matthew Utter (above right), co-owner of HighGrain Brewing in Silverton.

JUST PICKED Carson (above left) and Conn (above right) deliver fresh hops to Ryan Hayes at Fifty West Brewing and (below) to Eric Baumann of Karrikin Spirits.

CRAFT COUNTS

“Beer with fresh hops is akin to enjoying fresh-squeezed orange juice instead of store-bought OJ.” —SHAWN CARSON

“There’s really nothing like picking hops and brewing with them hours later,” says Baumann. “We enjoy sitting down with Shawn and Andrew and making something that represents both of our crafts,” says Hayes.

20 YEARS OF

UNHEARD

VOICES Î Anniversaries of tragedies are hardly celebrations, especially those as signiﬁcant as the one that rocked Cincinnati in April 2001: the police killing of Timothy Thomas. But they can serve as an opportunity to discuss what has changed and, unfortunately, what hasn’t.

By AIESHA D. LITTLE Illustration by KINGSLEY NEBECHI

Î IN SOME ASPECTS, CINCINNATI IS A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE THAN IT WAS TWO DECADES AGO. BUT WHEN IT COMES TO RACE RELATIONS, IT’S ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME. BLACK PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING HERE CAN ATTEST TO THE STRUCTURAL RACIAL DIVIDE THAT CONTINUES TO UNDERGIRD THEIR EXPERIENCES.

YOUNG, GIFTED, AND BLACK TAKUNDA A. MATOSE WAS ON THE COVER OF THE AUGUST 2001 ISSUE. HE IS NOW A DOCTORAL STUDENT AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY IN NASHVILLE.

Beneath the city’s shiny new buildings, popular restaurants, and everyday wheeling, dealing, and power brokering lie the ashes of April 2001. That’s when Over-the-Rhine exploded in an uprising after the death of Timothy Thomas, an unarmed Black man, at the hands of thenCincinnati Police Officer Stephen Roach, and it was a reckoning that some say was a long time coming. Later that summer, Cincinnati Magazine dedicated an entire issue to telling the

stories of local Black boys and men from all walks of life. With a mix of narrative profile stories and first-person “as told to” pieces, it was a long overdue chance to hear directly from community members whose lives reeled from society’s ingrained racial inequity. I was an editorial intern at the magazine that spring and summer, and I conducted a number of the interviews included in the issue we titled “The Unheard Voices: Growing Up Young, Black, and Male.” I recently reached out to eight of the men featured then to find out what they’ve been doing over the past 20 years and to hear their thoughts on the state of race relations today.

TAKUNDA A. MATOSE, 37

2001: Recent Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy graduate and August 2001 cover subject NOW: Bioethicist and doctoral student in philosophy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville I have some fond memories of Cincinnati and, in many ways, I was insulated from some socioeconomic touchpoints of that moment [in 2001]. I don’t think I had the right tools at the time to properly process the signiﬁcance of the things that were happening, but I feel better equipped to reﬂect on the compound issues that people were trying to express and address at the time.

I draw parallels between the murder of Timothy Thomas and some of the recent police killings of Black men. It’s tragic how the same issues seem to recur. I have now had many more experiences of being racialized as Black than when I was 17. Some of these experiences have been good, of course, but too many of them have been negative. I’m not very optimistic that issues like racial injustice can ever be completely eliminated. Race relations are subject to the work that we, as a society, are willing to put into them. The nationwide protests for the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others are signiﬁers of the right kind of moral progress on this front, but the reality of our limitations as humans means that this will be a monstrous task. I have become a philosopher, which has forced me to approach racial concepts and experiences with a much more critical and academic eye. Unfortunately, one of the things I’ve come to realize is how stubbornly persistent some of the race-based harms remain. At the same time, I have gained a greater appreciation for my Blackness and a heightened sense of solidarity with people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds who care about the lived experiences of people of African descent.

We, as a society, need to be much more attuned to those who are suffering. We also need to stop holding individuals accountable for societal failures. The killing of Timothy Thomas was a societal failure. I think the communal response to that killing and the social realities that led to that moment were also indicative of societal failures that we need to continue to grapple with. In my small, fallible ways, I’ve tried to dedicate my life to confronting these failures head on.

LAWRENCE WILLIAMS SR., 69

P H O T O G R A P H S C O U R T E S Y S U B J E C T S , ( M A T O S E ) B Y M O L LY M E I N B R E S S E , ( L A N I E R ) BY C O L I N K I R K PAT R I C K , ( TO D D ) BY H E R I TAG E P O R T R A I T S A N D A L B U M S

Î 20 YEARS ON (LEFT TO RIGHT, FROM TOP) TAKUNDA A. MATOSE, LAWRENCE WILLIAMS SR., SJOHNNA McCRAY, LAWRENCE WILLIAMS II, RICHARD WARD, JABREEL MOTON, SHANNON LANIER, CARROLL “CHIP” TODD

“I CAN’T SAY THAT THERE WERE LESSONS LEARNED FROM 2001. ONLY THE KEEN AWARENESS OF HOW LITTLE OUR CITY, STATE, AND COUNTRY HAS LEARNED FROM THE MANY PREVIOUS SIMILAR EXPERIENCES OF UNREST INITIATED BY THE SAME THINGS.” —LAWRENCE WILLIAMS SR.

2001: Working at Talbert House; interviewed with his son, Lawrence II. NOW: The College Hill resident retired from his role as vice president of Talbert House in 2012. I learned long ago that the ability to be relational was an asset in this world, especially learning to relate with people as individuals. That said, I remain acutely aware of the enduring challenges of being Black in a society sick with multiple “-isms,” topped by racism and blinding white privilege. Racism is an expression of the heartsentiment and is interwoven into every facet of our society. Until there is a recognition and acceptance of this illness on an individual level, followed by earnest efforts to change—similar to the ﬁrst steps in achieving sobriety: recognition and acceptance— such change will not happen. Condition shifts are always the driver of any change. Selﬁshness and ignorance (often willful) is so deep that such conditions will have to get far worse than they are or have ever been before honest efforts and real change happen. The individual is the valued object of my relationships. I like to think that I’m always working toward the best version of myself, and I try to keep an open mind and look for opportunities to enjoy the humanity of others. Unfortunately, I must maintain vigilance because the scourge of racism is a powerfully destructive force. I can’t say that there were lessons learned from 2001. Only the keen awareness of how little our city, state, and country has learned from the many previous similar experiences of unrest initiated by the same things. C O N T I N U E D O N P A G E 8 0

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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CEN TR A L

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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MEADOWBROOK CARE CENTER 8211 WELLER RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45242, (513) 489-2444, MEADOW BROOKCARE.ORG Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation Total Units: 156; 12 Private Rooms; 144 Semi-Private Beds Average Age: 79 Total Staff: 200 We offer 24hour skilled nursing care for short-term rehabilitation and long-term residential care. We also offer a secured dementia management unit.

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E A ST BARRINGTON OF OAKLEY INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING, MEMORY CARE, ADULT DAY 4855 BABSON PLACE, CINCINNATI, OH 45227, (513) 561-9100, SENIOR LIFESTYLE.COM Type of Facility: Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care Total Units: 105; 77 Independent and Assisted Living Apts., 28 Memory Care Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP Spacious one- and two-bedroom apartments are available with fully equipped kitchens, washers, dryers, and more. Many amenities provided, including ﬁtness center, cocktail bar, movie theater, and spa. Adult day services offered in memory care.

DEUPREE HOUSE 3939 ERIE AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45208, CONTACT GINI TARR, (513) 561-4200, DEUPREEHOUSE.COM Type of Facility: Continuous Care Total Units: 145; 24 Private Rooms at Deupree Cottages Nursing Care Center Average Age: 80+ Total Staff: 125 Offers ﬁrst-class amenities and services. Monthly rental apartments and entrance fee plans are available, along with Enriched Living options for those requiring some daily living assistance. Highly rated by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services. Accreditation from CARF and CCAC.

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EASTGATESPRING OF CINCINNATI TRANSITIONALCARE CENTER 4400 GLEN ESTE-WITHAMSVILLE RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45245, (513) 752-3710, CARESPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Total Units: 189 Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: 235 Specializes in rehabilitative and skilled nursing care. Modern amenities include a marketplace for visitors and patients, cable television, and wireless internet access.

INDIANSPRING OF OAKLEY TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 4900 BABSON PLACE, CINCINNATI, OH 45227, (513) 561-2600, CARE SPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Total Units: 144; 75 Private Rooms Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: 220 This transitional care center offers amenities that include a marketplace for visitors and patients, an Integrative Medicine Suite,

and patios with ﬁreplaces. Retail space on lower level houses nearby medical practitioners. THE KENWOOD BY SENIOR STAR 5435 KENWOOD RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45227, (513) 561-9300, KEN WOODBYSENIORSTAR.COM Type of Facility: Active Living, Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Nursing Care Total Units: 309; 24 Active Living, 183 Independent Living, 47 Assisted Living, 41 Memory Care, 14 Nursing Care Average Age: 55+ Total Staff: 200 Offers condolike rentals, plus monthly leases on apartments, featuring city views in a world-class atmosphere. Amenities include 24/7 maintenance and security, six dining venues, an indoor pool, climate-controlled underground parking, laundry rooms, a spa and salon, a wellness center, transportation, individually inspired programs, and optional add-on services.

MARJORIE P. LEE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 3550 SHAW AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45208, CONTACT KAREN CHRISTOPHER: (513) 533-5000, MARJORI EPLEE.COM Type of Facility: Continuous Care Total Units: 160 Average Age: 80+ Total Staff: 257 Offers all levels of care, including independent and assisted living, skilled nursing for short-stay rehab and long-term care, and Alzheimer’s and dementia support. Welcomes older adults of all faiths. Apartments offered on a monthly rental basis with no entrance fees or long-term contracts. Highly rated by the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services. Accreditation CARF and CCAC.

PINEBROOK RETIREMENT LIVING 5877 WOLFPEN-PLEASANT HILL RD., MILFORD, OH 45150, (513) 831-5222, PINEBROOKLIVING.COM Type of Facility: Independent Living with services; Assisted Living Total Units: 124; Independent Living Suites/Studios, one- and two-bedroom units with full kitchens and walk-in showers Average Age: 81 Total Staff: 89 Memory Care Independent living, assisted living and memory care in a retirement community featuring restaurant-style dining, dozens of classes and clubs, 24/7 licensed nurses, programs, entertainment excursions, and events to ensure residents thrive.

SEM MANOR 1348 PREBBLE COURT, CINCINNATI, OH 45255, (513) 474-5827, SEMMAN

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

OR.ORG Type of Facility: Senior Housing, Independent Living Total Units: 144 Average Age: 65 Total Staff: 5 Located in Anderson Township, SEM Manor offers amenities such as a library, a recreation room, and scheduled transportation. With rent being based on 30 percent of your income, it is designed for affordable one-bedroom and studio apartments.

Community.

WHERE COMPASSION MEETS CARE.

ST. THERESA–A DIVERSICARE TRANSITIONAL CARE COMMUNITY 7010 ROWAN HILL DR., CINCINNATI, OH 45227, (513) 271-7010, DIVERSICAREST THERESA.COM Type of Facility: Continuum of Care—Residential Care, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation, Dementia Unit Total Units: 169; 32 Independent Living, 38 Assisted Living, 99 Nursing Beds Average Age: 83 Total Staff: 120 Located off of Miami Road in Mariemont with views of the city. Provides apartments and rehabilitation services in a peaceful environment, as well as daily Mass, trips to stores, movies, and restaurants. Offers an in-house beauty shop and boutique. Activities are available seven days a week.

W EST ALOIS ALZHEIMER CENTER 70 DAMON RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45218, (513) 605-1000, ALOIS.COM Type of Facility: Specialized Care: Assisted Living, Nursing Care, Respite, Adult Day Enrichment Program Total Units: 113; 20 Assisted Living, 93 Nursing Beds Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP As experts in Alzheimer’s disease, the care team partners with highly credentialed physicians, pharmacists, and psychiatrists to provide the best care possible. Alois offers ﬁve distinct levels of care.

BERKELEY SQUARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 100 BERKELEY DR., HAMILTON, OH 45013, (513) 896-8080, DISCOVERCOMMUNITY-FIRST.ORG Type of Facility: Continuing Care Retirement Community Total Units: 239; 127 Independent Living Homes, 18 Independent Living Apts., 44 Assisted Living Apts., 50 Licensed Nursing Beds Average Age: 79 Total Staff: 120 CMS Five Star–rated community. A beautiful 65-acre campus featuring customized ﬂoor plans, The Coach House Tavern & Grille restaurant, Elements at the Square (an on-site ﬁtness club), and The Carruthers Manor House. A Community First Solutions company.

_ob1;vĺ o 7o o m- b]-|; b|_ vo l-m orঞomv -m7 vo l-m t ;vঞomvĵ When you need assistance knowing what to do next, we have the experts to guide you through the process. Having a resource r-u|m;u 1-m l-h; -ѴѴ |_; 7b@;u;m1; _;m l-hbm] 7;1bvbomv about your future. We are here for you. It’s as simple as Community - care provided with compassion.

BIRCHWOOD CARE CENTER 4070 HAMILTON-MASON RD., FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, OH 45011, (513) 868-3300, HILLAN DALE.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing Care Total Units: 75 Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP Features residential long-term nursing care with a customized and individualized service approach. Birchwood believes that each person should have an individualized care plan designed with concern and compassion to promote the highest level of physical, spiritual, and cognitive function. Residents beneﬁt from many amenities,

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www.CedarVillage.org TAKE OUR FREE HEALTHCARE ASSESSMENT BY SCANNING THE CODE.

INDEPENDENT LIVING • ASSISTED LIVING REHABILITATION • LONG TERM CARE MEMORY SUPPORT

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including a physical therapy center, a personalized styling salon, a courtyard, and a variety of social activities to highlight each resident’s experience. BRADFORD PLACE—A DIVERSICARE TRANSITIONAL CARE COMMUNITY 1302 MILLVILLE AVE., HAMILTON, OH 45013, (513) 867-4100, DIVER SICAREBRADFORDPLACE.COM Type of Facility: Continuum of Care—Residential Care (Independent and Assisted Living), Nursing Care, Skilled, Rehabilitation Care, Respite Care, Outpatient Therapy Total Units: 127; 42 Assisted Living, 85 Nursing Beds Average Age: 83 Total Staff: 100 full-time employees, 30 part-time Provides skilled care in a comfortable setting. Offers three meals daily, weekly housekeeping, ﬂat linen/personal laundry services, paid utilities (except phone), weekly nondenominational church service, access to social services and registered dietitian, room maintenance, daily activities, monthly wellness checks, and beauty/barbershop access.

BRIDGEWAY POINTE ASSISTED LIVING 165 W. GALBRAITH RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45216, (513) 418-4370, BRIDGEWAYPOINTE.COM Type of Facility: Assisted Living, Memory Care Total Units: 102 Average Age: 84 Total Staff: NA A vibrant yet smaller home-like community features restaurant-style dining, life enrichment activities, as well as an on-site physician and wellness clinics. Very stable and experienced staff. In central location to most of Greater Cincinnati.

THE CHRISTIAN VILLAGE AT MT. HEALTHY 8097 HAMILTON AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45231, (513) 931-5000, CHRIS TIANVILLAGES.ORG Type of Facility: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Assisted Living Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, and Rehabilitation Total Units: 102 Residential Living, 75 Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies Total Staff: 180 Provides integrated health services for older adults and offers a full range of social, cultural, spiritual, and creative opportunities. Nonproﬁt, faith-based community provides a full continuum of care and features private rehabilitation suites for short-term skilled nursing.

CLOVERNOOK HEALTH CARE PAVILION AND THE PROGRESSIVE WOUND CARE CENTRE 7025 CLOVERNOOK AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45231, (513) 605-4000,

HCMG.COM Type of Facility: Nursing Total Units: 117 Nursing Beds Average Age: All ages Total Staff: 180 Offers a warm environment and a caring staff. Includes a highly trained team specializing in wound care and a therapy department.

COVENANT VILLAGE 3210 W. FORK RD., CINCINNATI, OH 45211, (513) 605-3000, HCMG.COM Type of Facility: Short-term and Long-term Skilled Nursing Facility Total Units: 99 Average Age: NP Total Staff: 200 Provides short-term rehabilitation, including physical, occupational, and speech therapies.

DOVERWOOD VILLAGE 4195 HAMILTON-MASON RD., FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP, OH 45011, (513) 868-2266, HILLANDALE.COM Type of Facility: Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s Assisted Living, Short-Term Physical Rehabilitation, Out-Patient Therapy Services, Long-Term Skilled Nursing Total Units: NP Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP Doverwood Village is a member of the Hillandale Family of Communities, the area’s ﬁnest personalized healthcare and retirement communities where “We Care Like Family, Because We Are.” Doverwood features its very own Main Street with a chapel, a movie theater, a pub, live entertainment, inspiring worship services, a styling salon, and more.

JAMESTOWNE INPATIENT & OUTPATIENT REHABILITATION 1371 MAIN ST., HAMILTON, OH 45013 (513) 785-4800, COMMUNITY-FIRST. ORG Type of Facility: Inpatient & Outpatient Therapy, Post-acute Rehabilitation Total Units: 42 Private Suites Average Age: NP Total Staff: NP State-of-the art facility features a 5,000-square-foot therapy gym and spacious, modern, quiet, and family-friendly private suites that facilitate quicker recoveries. Therapists deliver inpatient and outpatient speech, physical, and occupational therapy seven days a week. Offers a variety of specialized programs designed to speed recovery, including a Hydroworx Therapy pool— one of two in Butler County. A Community First Solutions Company.

THE KNOLLS OF OXFORD 6727 CONTRERAS RD., OXFORD, OH 45056, (513) 524-7990, KNOLLSOFOX FORD.ORG Type of Facility: Continuing Care Retirement Community Total Units: 191; 108 Villas, 28 Assisted Living, 62 Nursing Beds Average Age: 78 Total Staff: 180 Nonproﬁt community on an 85-acre

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campus located near Miami University. A vibrant activity schedule and formal affiliation with Miami University offer unique opportunities in retirement. MAPLE KNOLL VILLAGE 11100 SPRINGFIELD PIKE, CINCINNATI, OH 45246, (513) 782-2717, MAPLEKNOLL.ORG Type of Facility: Continuing Care Retirement Community Total Units: 476; 143 Villas, 125 Apts., 63 Assisted Living, 145 Nursing Beds Average Age: 79 Total Staff: 498 Nonprofit community located on an updated, 54-acre campus filled with lots of green spaces. Vibrant activity schedule; located near major thoroughfares/attractions.

MERCY HEALTH–WEST PARK 2950 W. PARK DR., CINCINNATI, OH 45238, (513) 451-8900, MERCY.COM Type of Facility: Continuum of Care, Rehabilitation, Short-term and Long-term Care Nursing, Residential Care Total Units: 302; 3 Independent Apts., 174 Assisted Living, 125 Nursing Beds Average Age: 84 Total Staff: 180+ Serving the West Side community for more than 40 years, this community provides distinct short-term nursing and a rehabilitation unit with 30 private rooms. Offers 24-hour nursing care, daily Catholic Mass, recreational and medical transportation, and a beauty/barbershop on site.

OHIO LIVING LLANFAIR 1701 LLANFAIR AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45224, (513) 681-4230, LLANFAIR OHIO.ORG Type of Facility: Life Plan Community, Independent and Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation Center with all private suites, Memory Care Total Units: 244; 108 Independent Living, 41 Assisted Living, 76 Nursing Beds, 19 Rehabilitation Suites Average Age: 85 Total Staff: 220 Known for relaxed living in the heart of the city, this community is minutes away from shopping, banking, medical services, churches, and entertainment. Owned and operated by Ohio Living, the largest nonproﬁt provider of retirement services in the state of Ohio.

SANCTUARY POINTE NURSING & REHAB CENTER 11501 HAMILTON AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45231, (513) 648-7000, SANCTUARYPOINTE.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center; Long-Term Care; Secured Dementia Unit; Inpatient and Outpatient Therapy Average Age: 84 Total Staff: 100 Healthcare personnel and support staff are highly trained professionals dedicated to

providing personalized nursing care. All rooms are private rooms with private bath and showers, and the site has a state-of-the-art rehabilitation gym. Rated Four Stars by CMS. Accepts Medicare, Medicaid, and most major insurances. SHAWNEESPRING TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 10111 SIMONSON RD., HARRISON, OH 45030, (513) 367-7780, CARE SPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled and Intermediate Nursing, Rehabilitation Total Units: 140 Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: 220 Specialized units for residents’ needs, including a state-of-the-art therapy gym and rehab unit. Features a Montessori school, a marketplace for visitors and patients, a recreation therapy room, chapel, and family guest room.

TWIN TOWERS SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY 5343 HAMILTON AVE., CINCINNATI, OH 45224, (513) 853-2000, LEC.ORG Type of Facility: Senior Living Communities Total Units: 360; 123 Apts., 130 Patio Homes, 76 Assisted Living, 30 Memory Support, 101 Nursing Beds Average Age: 78–84 Total Staff: 300+ This Life Enriching Communities campus offers patio homes and apartments for independent lifestyles, assisted living, memory-support assisted living, short-term rehab, and long-term nursing services with a commitment to whole-person well-being.

THE WELLINGTON AT NORTH BEND CROSSING 5156 NORTH BEND CROSSING, CINCINNATI, OH 45247, (513) 661-4100, CAPITALSENIOR.COM Type of Facility: Independent Living, Assisted Living, Memory Care Total Units: 122; 45 Independent Living, 62 Assisted Living, 15 Memory Care Average Age: NP Total Staff: 75 (includes management, nursing, caregivers, dietary, housekeeping, activities, concierge) Opened in 2009, it offers independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Owned by Capital Senior Living.

WESTOVER RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 855 STAHLHEBER RD., HAMILTON, OH 45013, (513) 896-8080, COMMU NITYFIRST.ORG Type of Facility: Continuing Care Retirement Community Total Units: 120; 20 Independent Living Homes, 14 Independent Living Apts., 44 Assisted Living Units, 53 Licensed Nursing Beds Average Age: 85 Total Staff: 143 A Community

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Facility: Personal Care and Nursing Total Units: 130 Average Age: 87 Total Staff: 175 Recently renovated facility provides rehabilitative therapy, skilled care, skilled intermediate care, and memory care, along with personal care, IV therapy, TPN, and wound care. Offers daily Mass and engaging activities in a home-like atmosphere.

First Solutions company and CMS Five Star–rated community, Westover offers a spacious 11-acre residential campus with an on-site ﬁtness club—Elements at the Bever—and intergenerational opportunities through Colonial Schools.

SOU T H / NORT H ER N K EN T UCK Y BARRINGTON OF FT. THOMAS INDEPENDENT AND ASSISTED LIVING 940 HIGHLAND AVE., FT. THOMAS, KY 41075, (859) 572-0667, CARE SPRING.COM Type of Facility: Independent and Assisted Living Apts. Total Units: 110 Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: NA One- and twobedroom apartments are available with fully equipped kitchens, plus washers and dryers. Residents enjoy many amenities, including a ﬁtness center, a cocktail bar, and chef-prepared meals in the dining room.

COLDSPRING TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 300 PLAZA DR., COLD SPRING, KY 41076, (859) 441-4600, CARESPRING. COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Total Units: 143 Average Age: NA Total Staff: 220 A destination for those needing rehabilitative or nursing-care services on a short-term or continuing basis. An in-house team of licensed therapists, nurses, and caregivers offer care and services. The facility encompasses a residential area for patients with longer-term needs and a separate rehab center for individuals requiring short-term services.

CARMEL MANOR 100 CARMEL MANOR RD., FT. THOMAS, KY 41075, (859) 781-5111, CARMELMANOR.COM Type of

COVINGTON LADIES HOME 702 GARRARD ST., COVINGTON, KY 41011, (859) 431-6913, COVINGTON LADIESHOME.ORG Type of

Facility: Personal Care (Assisted Living) Total Units: 25 Private Personal Care Rooms Average Age: 80 Total Staff: 27 Exclusively serves senior women by providing quality personal care in a community-based and homelike environment.

HIGHLAND SPRING OF FT. THOMAS TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 960 HIGHLAND AVE., FT. THOMAS, KY 41075, (859) 572-0660, CARE SPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled & Intermediate Nursing, Rehabilitation Total Units: 140 Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: 220 Specializes in rehabilitative and skilled nursing care. Modern amenities include a marketplace for visitors and patients, cable television, and wireless internet access.

MADONNA MANOR 2344 AMSTERDAM RD., VILLA HILLS, KY 41017, (859) 426-6400, HOMEISHERE.ORG Type of Facility: Full-service Retirement Community, Independent and As-

sisted Living, Memory Care, Short-term Inpatient Rehab, Outpatient Rehab also available, and Long-term Care Total Units: 136; 12 Independent Cottages, 40 Assisted Living, 24 Memory Care, 60 Rehab and Nursing Average Age: 80 Total Staff: 115 Madonna Manor, a Catholic Living Community, is Northern Kentucky’s only provider of personcentered care, honoring and respecting older adults and making their lives more fulﬁlled and meaningful. Accepts many managed-care insurance products.

VILLASPRING OF ERLANGER TRANSITIONAL CARE CENTER 630 VIOX DR., ERLANGER, KY 41018, (859) 727-6700, CARESPRING.COM Type of Facility: Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Total Units: 140 Nursing Beds Average Age: Varies based on level of care Total Staff: NP An upscale nursing facility and rehabilitation/therapy services with a separate rehab unit. Services include long-term care, hospice care, dementia care, and respite stays. Features an outpatient therapy center, a Marketplace Café, a recreation therapy room, a chapel, and a family guest room.

Serene Suites PREMIER MEMORY CARE

OUR PROMISE As COVID-19 continues to impact all of us, we want to assure you that we are 100% committed to the health and well-being of our residents, their loved ones, and our community. • FREE Consultations with Nationally Recognized Dementia Expert, Holly Henderson • Strict COVID-19 Protocols • 6SHFLDOO\ 7UDLQHG 6WD΍ • Socially-Distanced Visits LEARN MORE: TheSereneSuites.com 9870 Redhill Drive | Cincinnati, OH 45242

TOURS AND EVENT INFORMATION: (513) 745-5000 dementiaexperts@theserenesuites.com

Family Owned & Operated

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PROFILE PHOTOGRAPHS BY RYAN BACK

2021

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TOP DENTISTS Our annual list of the top dentists in the Cincinnati region, 268 professionals in seven specialties who are making smiles brighter.

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TOP DENTISTS 2021

earching for a new dentist? Whether you need routine care or a complete smile makeover, our list of top dentists is the place to start. This carefully researched list was compiled by Professional Research Services (PRS) of Troy, Michigan. The firm conducted peer-review surveys of professionals in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky to determine the top dentists around our region. Those who made the list have been screened carefully to ensure the legitimacy of their licenses and their status with the State of Ohio and the Kentucky Board of Dentistry.

HEATHER MORRIS

ANDREW F. BARTISH

Imperial Endodontics, 10597 Montgomery Rd., Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 583-5700

Velle Dental, 5916 Cheviot Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 654-2882

RICHARD MULLINS Dr. Richard Mullins, 7205 Dixie Hwy., Suite 3, Florence, KY 41042, (859) 371-8686

ROBERT S. SCHNEIDER Schneider Endodontics, 5420 N. Bend Rd., Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 661-7668

PAUL F. SIEGEL JR.

VAISHALI AGARWALA Yonchak & Agarwala DDS MS Inc, 5180 Winton Rd., Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 829-1935

ERIC M. BRAMY Eric M. Bramy, DDS, 6900 Tylersville Rd., Suite C, Mason, OH 45040, (513) 754-0900

RICHARD P. BROERING JR. Richard P. Broering Jr., DMD, 3005 Dixie Hwy., Suite 100, Edgewood, KY 41017, (859) 344-8000

ERIC D. BROWN Eric Brown Endodontics, 810 Plum St., Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 322-2462

MICHAEL D. FULLER University Pointe Endodontics, 7760 W. VOA Park Dr., Suite A, West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 759-2700

CAREY M. HEIN Hyde Park Endodontics, 4030 Smith Rd., Suite 450, Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 321-5353

ZACHARY IMPERIAL Imperial Endodontics, 10597 Montgomery Rd., Suite 100, Montgomery, OH 45242, (513) 583-5700

TIMOTHY J. KREIMER Timothy J. Kreimer, DDS, Inc., 3560 Blue Rock Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 385-9888

DARYL KWAN Kenwood Endodontics, 8250 Kenwood Rd., Suite A, Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 394-6299

G. ROBERT LAWLEY Lawley Endodontics, 748 State Route 28, Suite C, Milford, OH 45150, (513) 456-4144

HARISH MALYALA Mortenson Family Dental, 2025 Harris Pike, Independence, KY 41051, (859) 898-2255

ALEX K. MIHAILOFF Alex K. Mihailoff, DDS, MSD, 9200 Montgomery Rd., Bldg. F, Suite 22A, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 793-6500

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Richard T. Baudendistel, D.D.S., Joseph Jacob, D.D.S., & Vanessa Short, D.D.S., 3860 Race Rd., Suite 101, Cincinnati, OH 45211, (513) 661-8509

KATHERINE BEITING Beiting Family Dentistry, 2617 Legends Way, Suite 200, Crestview Hills, KY 41017, (859) 341-2234

Paul F. Siegel Jr., DDS, 9403 Kenwood Rd., Suite B-205, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 821-2668

CHUCK BELL

CLAIRE SIEGEL GERHARD

DAVID BELL JR.

Paul F. Siegel Jr., DDS, 9403 Kenwood Rd., Suite B-205, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 821-2668

Bell Dental Group, 2767 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 449-2694

J. ERIC WALDEN Northern Kentucky Endodontics, 8729 US 42, Suite A, Florence, KY 41042, (859) 647-0006

THOMAS A. YONCHAK

ENDODONTICS

RICHARD T. BAUDENDISTEL

Yonchak & Agarwala DDS MS Inc, 5180 Winton Rd., Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 829-1935

Bell Dental Group, 2767 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 449-2694

JOHN BENNET JR. Bennet Family Dental, 5606 Bridgetown Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45248, (513) 662-2000

TODD BLINCOE Blincoe Dentistry, 12 Orphanage Rd., Ft. Mitchell, KY 41017, (859) 331-1960

RACHELLE BOUDREAU GENERAL DENTISTRY MALLORY ADLER Wolf + Adler Family Dentistry, 10475 Reading Rd., Suite 408, Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513) 563-8188

ABDALLAH AL-ZUBI Cosmetic & Implant Dental Center of Cincinnati, 910 Barry Ln., Cincinnati, OH 45229, (513) 370-2400

BARRY APPLEGATE Applegate Dentistry, 324 Greenup St., Covington, KY 41011, (859) 291-8600

CHRIS BALSLY Trailside Dental Care, 5382 CoxSmith Rd., Mason, OH 45040, (513) 229-7711

ANNE G. BANTA Anne G. Banta, DDS, Inc., 5680 Bridgetown Rd., Suite B, Cincinnati, OH 45248, (513) 574-2444

Boudreau Dental Studio, 11333 Springﬁeld Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45246, (513) 772-0722

KENNETH C. BRANDT Kenneth C. Brandt DDS, 2751 Blue Rock Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45239, (513) 741-8223

LEE BROWN Brown & Gettings, DDS, 8191 Beckett Park Dr., West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 854-8562

TIFFANY BULLER-SCHUSSLER Tri-State Family Dentistry, 2161 N. Bend Rd., Suite A, Hebron, KY 41048, (859) 689-1105

ANGELA BURLESON-OTT Cornerstone Dental Group, 4030 Smith Rd., Suite 110, Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 631-8920

MARIA BUSTAMANTE Seven Star Dental, 7 W. Seventh St., Suite 1, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 241-7827, www.sevenstardental.com

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

ROBERT CAPOZZA

Gates Family Dentistry, 3249 W. US 22 & 3, Loveland, OH 45140, (513) 683-3838

ELEANOR ENDRES

TOP DENTISTS 2021

PATRICIA HANNAHAN

Endres Gateway Dentistry, 9380 Montgomery Rd., Suite 204, Montgomery, OH 45242, (513) 322-3501

Advance Dentistry, 5823 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, (513) 272-9009, www.nofeardentist.com

Clements Family Dentistry, 25 N. F St., Hamilton, OH 45013, (513) 887-7027

MAGGIE ERNST

ANDREW J. HARRIS

JONATHAN D. CONOVER

ANTHONY E. FORTE

JOHN A. CLEMENTS

Conover Family Dental, 9312 Winton Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45231, (513) 931-7542

HEWITT J. COOPER

Hewitt J. Cooper, DDS, 1305 William Howard Taft Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45206, (513) 751-3384

JEFFREY R. CRONLEY

Hyde Park Dental Arts, 2761 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 321-0886

DAVID N. CROOP

Mt. Lookout Dentistry, 3197 Linwood Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 871-2852

ANSLEY H. DEPP

Dental BLU, 2600 Alexandria Pike, Highland Heights, KY 41076, (859) 442-8200

THOMAS DILTS

Dilts Family Dentistry, 723 Buttermilk Pike, Crescent Springs, KY 41017, (859) 431-3900

SHAWN DORNHECKER

Patel and Dornhecker Dentistry, 3500 Siaron Way, Fairfield Township, OH 45011, (513) 815-3166

ANDREW DORR

Andrew Dorr DDS, 3473 N. Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45239, (513) 661-6800

DENNIS R. DOTSON

Dennis R. Dotson DDS, 19 Garfield Pl., Suite 215, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 241-2467

CHRISTINE L. ELFERS

Dr. Christine L. Elfers, DDS, 2758 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 321-7076

RON ELLIOTT JR.

Smith and Elliott Dental Associates, 265 Main St., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 371-4620

Bell Dental Group, 2767 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 449-2694

Anthony E. Forte DDS, 3475 N. Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45239, (513) 661-6100

ROBERT B. FOX

Fox Dental Excellence, 6410 Thornberry Ct., Suite D, Mason, OH 45040, (513) 398-3322

DAVID J. FRANZ

David J. Franz, DDS, 8333 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 771-2230

GREGORY C. FRESE

Family Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry, 1149 Fehl Ln., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 231-9300

GREGORY GATES

Gates Family Dentistry, 3249 W. US 22 & 3, Loveland, OH 45140, (513) 683-3838

CONNIE G. GAWRYCH

Cincinnati Dental Services Fairfield, 2760 Mack Rd., Fairfield, OH 45014, (513) 874-2444

WALTER E. GAY JR.

Walter E. Gay, Jr., DDS, 19 Garfield Pl., Suite 414, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 381-7900

MARK GEROME

Gerome & Patrice Family Dentistry, 6378 Branch Hill-Guinea Pike, Loveland, OH 45140, (513) 677-1349

BARRY P. GIBBERMAN

Montgomery Dentistry, 9157 Montgomery Rd., Suite 105, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 793-2611

RONALD GRYCKO

Grycko Dentistry of Blue Ash, 9050 Plainfield Rd., Blue Ash, OH 45236, (513) 791-3138

LAWRENCE W. HAGEN II

Hagen Dental Practice, 4998 Glenway Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 854-8588

Fountain Square Dental Care, 525 Vine St., Suite 1020, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 621-2483

REBECCA W. HAYDEN

Hayden Family Dental, 9200 Montgomery Rd., Bldg. G, Suite 20B, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-4500

CHRISTOPHER F. HECK

Christopher F. Heck, DMD, 9370 Main St., Suite B, Montgomery, OH 45242, (513) 794-1884, www.mont gomerygeneraldentistry.com

FREDERICK A. HEISELMAN

Frederick A. Heiselman, DDS, 7140 Miami Ave., Suite 201, Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 561-8600, www. fheiselmandds.com

ERIC D. HENIZE

Complete Health Dentistry of Cincinnati, 4723 Cornell Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513) 489-0607

DARLENE HENRY

Darlene Henry DMD, 3505 Dixie Hwy., Erlanger, KY 41018, (859) 344-8500

PATRICK HOBAN

Hoban Dentistry DDS, 5184 Winton Rd., Fairfield, OH 45014, (513) 8581600

JOSEPH W. JACKSON

Jackson Family Dental Wellness Center, 322 N. Elm St., Oxford, OH 45056, (513) 523-6267

KEITH JACKSON

Madeira Dentistry, 7113 Miami Ave., Madeira, OH 45243, (513) 561-5318

LAURA JACKSON

Madeira Dentistry, 7113 Miami Ave., Madeira, OH 45243, (513) 561-5318

RICHARD L. JACKSON, D.D.S.

Richard L. Jackson, D.D.S., Inc., 3650 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 321-3037

GREGORY J. JAUN

Dr. Gregory J. Jaun, 9157 Montgomery Rd., Suite 204, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 793-4235

MARVIN N. KAPLAN

Marvin N. Kaplan DMD, 3406 Ormond Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45220, (513) 342-2644

DANIEL KELLEY

Eastgate Dental Excellence, 3241 Mount Carmel Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45244, (513) 443-8561

RUCHIKA KHETARPAL

Colerain Family Dentistry, 7074 Harrison Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 923-1215

EDWARD B. KLEINMAN

Edward B. Kleinman, DDS, 8759 Reading Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45215, (513) 761-5050

JOEL R. KOCH

Joel R. Koch, DDS, 9655 Cincinnati Columbus Rd., West Chester, OH 45241, (513) 779-2200

CHRISTOPHER P. LEARY

Christopher P. Leary D.D.S., 7852 Camargo Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 271-6611

ERICH D. LENZ

Peters and Lenz DDS, Inc., 6431 Bridgetown Rd., Suite 1, Cincinnati, OH 45248, (513) 574-1477

AMANDA LEVINSOHN

Anderson Ferry Dental, 411 Anderson Ferry Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 922-8500

STEVEN LEVINSOHN

Anderson Ferry Dental, 411 Anderson Ferry Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 922-8500

MARK A. LOGEMAN

Mark A. Logeman, DDS, Inc., 2761 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 321-0886

TERRY LOWITZ

Lowitz & Meier, 8712 Winton Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45231, (513) 521-8900, www.cincinnatidentists.com

JOHN LUBER

John Luber DDS, 11867 MasonMontgomery Rd., Suite B, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 677-0383

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TOP DENTISTS 2021 MARC L. MARLETTE

DONN METTENS

ASHLEY J. MOSER

JESAL A. PATEL

Marlette Family Dentistry, 7303 US Hwy. 42, Florence, KY 41042, (859) 283-0033

Donn Mettens, DMD, 1807 Alexandria Pike, Highland Heights, KY 41076, (859) 781-7200

NKY Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, 2047 Centennial Blvd., Independence, KY 41051, (859) 356-5100

Patel and Dornhecker Dentistry, 3500 Siaron Way, Fairﬁeld Township, OH 45011, (513) 815-3166

JANE R. MAYS

R. SCOTT MEUSELBACH

Jane R. Mays, D.M.D., 2631 Erie Ave., Suite 14, Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 216-5311, www.janemaysdmd. com

Meuselbach Family Dental, 7200 Tylersville Rd., West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 342-8162

SEAN T. MCCAULEY

DREW MEYERS

THOMAS B. MUELLER Mueller Family Dentistry, 1862 Ashwood Cir., Ft. Wright, KY 41011, (859) 331-2202

JERRY PAUL Southwood, Paul & Pope, 5601 Cheviot Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 741-0900

FRED H. PECK

JASON MULZER

McCauley Dental, 7581 Alexandria Pike, Alexandria, KY 41001, (859) 635-7471

Advance Dentistry, 5823 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, (513) 272-9099, www.nofeardentist.com

Pinnacle Family Dentistry, 1495 Cavalry Dr., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 647-7760

Fred H. Peck, DDS, FAACD, 8251 Cornell Rd., Suite 130, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 657-1047, www. peckdds.com

JEROME E. MCMAHON

PATRICK D. MICHEL

ELIZABETH L. OSTERDAY

JORDAN PELCHOVITZ

UC Health, 234 Goodman St., Level 3, Cincinnati, OH 45219, (513) 5846650

Drs. Laub and Michel, 1100 Bonnell St., Cincinnati, OH 45215, (513) 563-6936

Elizabeth L. Osterday D.D.S., LLC, 7655 Five Mile Rd., Suite 121, Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 233-0001

Kenwood Complete Dentistry, 5050 E. Galbraith Rd., Suite C, Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 531-5050

MELISSA MEIER

POOJA MISRA

SUNNY PAHOUJA

THOMAS J. PERRINO

Lowitz & Meier, 8712 Winton Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45231, (513) 521-8900, www.cincinnatidentists.com

Colerain Advanced Dental Care, 3548 Springdale Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45251, (513) 385-5430

Lifetime Smiles, 5205 N. Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 661-8586

Perrino Family Dentistry, 7565 Kenwood Rd., Suite 201, Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 791-9092

BENJAMIN J. MESSMER Dr. Benjamin Messmer, DMD, 23 E. Eighth St., Newport, KY 41071, (859) 431-5234

K. MICHAEL PALMER Palmer Dentistry, 6895 Burlington Pike, Florence, KY 41042, (859) 344-1185

Advance Dentistry “BRING COMFORTABLE DENTISTRY TO EVERYONE.” That’s the mission. Most folks out there just don’t like visiting the dentist. No news there. Actually creating a solution that meets these patients “where they are” (and delivers the experience they didn’t even know they were waiting for)? Now, that’s news. By fully integrating I.V. sedation and anesthesia options into the core of our practice (while also incorporating the latest technologies & techniques), the Advance Dentistry team is able to create new paths to oral health for patients whose fear is an obstacle to treatment. We are committed to delivering a next-level, patientcentered, no-fear dental experience and are proud to be unlocking dentistry for folks throughout the Tri-State. FAIRFAX / MARIEMONT OFFICE: 5823 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, (513) 272-9009 ANDERSON TOWNSHIP OFFICE: 7655 Five Mile Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 231-1973 WEST CHESTER OFFICE: 7301 Tylers Corner Dr., West Chester Township, OH 45069, (513) 538-4880, www.nofeardentist.com

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TOP DENTISTS 2021

JEFFREY D. PETER

ROB REINECK

ANN SHACKELFORD

RON SOLOMON

Peter Family Dentistry, 2025 Declaration Dr., Suite B, Independence, KY 41051, (859) 429-1327

Milford Dental Excellence, 1188 OH-131, Milford, OH 45150, (513) 831-1446

Shearer Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, 1335 Hansel Dr., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 647-7068

Cornerstone Dental Group, 4030 Smith Rd., Suite 110, Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 631-8920

MICHAEL D. ROLFES

AARON SHAFTEL

STEVEN SOUTHWOOD

Michael D. Rolfes, DDS & Euna C. Koo, D.D.S., 7729 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 793-1241

Vita Dental, 5841 Snider Rd., Mason, OH 45040, (513) 777-9117

Southwood, Paul & Pope, 5601 Cheviot Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 741-0900

ELIZABETH PLAS Dr. Elizabeth Plas, 3964 Edwards Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 351-3700

RICHARD PLOTNICK

SCOTT SAYRE

Drs. Franklin, Plotnick & Carl , 6204 Ridge Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45213, (513) 731-1106

Advance Dentistry, 5823 Wooster Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45227, (513) 272-9009, www.nofeardentist.com

TIMOTHY L. POHLMAN

LAURA SCHILLER

Timothy L. Pohlman, D.D.S., 2761 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 871-2989

Schiller Dental, 5330 Glenway Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 922-7111

BRIAN POPE Southwood, Paul & Pope, 5601 Cheviot Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 741-0900

ANDREA SCHMERLER Beckham Square Family Dental, 12500 Reed Hartman Hwy., Suite 110, Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513) 489-7800

DEENA RASSENFOSS

JAMES M. SEIBERT

Rassenfoss Family Dentistry, 3014 Washington St., Burlington, KY 41005, (859) 689-9225

Family Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry, 1149 Fehl Ln., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 231-9300

SHELLEY SHEARER Shearer Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, 1335 Hansel Dr., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 647-7068

GREG SHERMAN Kenwood Complete Dentistry, 5050 E. Galbraith Rd., Suite C, Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 531-5050

RICK M. SINGEL

MICHELLE E. STORY Michelle E. Story DMD, 1227 S. Ft. Thomas Ave., Ft. Thomas, KY 41075, (859) 572-6700

MONICA B. SWOPE Kingdom Family Dentistry, 772 Waycross Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45240, (513) 742-2322

Rick M. Singel D.D.S., 2752 Erie Ave., Suite 8, Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 871-4200

ALEC TACKETT

THOMAS SMITH

LARRY J. TEPE

Smith and Elliott Dental Associates, 265 Main St., Florence , KY 41042, (859) 371-4620

Tepe Family Dentistry, 3427 Glenmore Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45211, (513) 662-4555

Ivy Dental, 7201 Main St., Cincinnati, OH 45244, (513) 231-3990

Frederick A. Heiselman DDS Dr. Frederick A. Heiselman has been providing optimal comprehensive dentistry for more than 35 years. His state of the art facility allows him to perform a wide variety of dental procedures including implant placement and restoration, Invisalign braces, root canals, surgical and routine extractions and many cosmetic procedures with an on-site dental laboratory for custom work. Our patients have described our ofﬁce as very professional, courteous, highly skilled, gentle and thorough but most of all friendly. Having a smaller practice allows them to develop lifelong trusting relationships. Frederick A. Heiselman DDS, Inc., 7140 Miami Ave., Suite 201, Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 5618600, www.fheiselmandds.com

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TOP DENTISTS 2021 RACHEL TEPE

KEVIN WALL

REBECCA B. YOXTHIMER

BABAK EMAMI

Wyoming Family Dentistry, 411 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, OH 45215, (513) 821-0659

Bellevue Family Dentistry, 340 Fairﬁeld Ave., Bellevue, KY 41073, (859) 291-7621

Kingdom Family Dentistry, 772 Waycross Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45240, (513) 742-2322

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Ohio, 7462 Jager Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 232-4600

COLLEEN TEPE HOFSTETTER

WAYNE R. WAULIGMAN

ROB YOXTHIMER

MELISSA H. FISHER

Tepe Dentistry, 3507 Glenmore Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45211, (513) 481-5885

Wauligman Dentistry, 16 E. Main St., Addyston, OH 45001, (513) 662-4242

Fennell, Yoxthimer and Associates, DDS, Inc., 5451 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45212, (513) 631-6600

Cincinnati Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Inc., 2852 Boudinot Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 451-7300

GREGG TESTERMAN Testerman Dental, 767 Columbus Ave., Lebanon, OH 45036, (513) 854-1811

DAVID L. VORHERR

ALAN R. WEINSTEIN Alan R. Weinstein DDS, 7835 Remington Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 793-1977

ORAL & MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY V. RUSSELL BOUDREAU JR. Thatcher & Boudreau, DDS, Inc., 800 Compton Rd., Suite 20, Cincinnati, OH 45231, (513) 521-0110

David L. Vorherr, D.D.S., 5968 Cheviot Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 385-2411, www.facebook.com/ davidlvorherrdds

TODD E. WILLIAMS

PAM WALDEN

VINCENT P. WILLIAMS

Shearer Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, 1335 Hansel Dr., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 647-7068

Dr. Vincent P. Williams, Inc., 441 Vine St., Suite 1021, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 241-6938

Cincinnati Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery, 7140 Miami Ave., Suite 202, Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 271-5900

JANE WALKER

GREGORY WNEK

TIMOTHY W. CONLEY

Dr. Jane Walker, DDS, 27 Water St., Suite 1, Milford, OH 45150, (513) 831-4133

Caring Family Dentistry, 11497 Springﬁeld Pike, Suite 3, Cincinnati, OH 45246, (513) 771-0844

Todd E. Williams, D.D.S., 11325 Springﬁeld Pike, Springdale, OH 45246, (513) 772-9100

JAMES P. CASSIDY

Afﬁliates in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, 5188 Winton Rd., Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 829-8080

MICHAEL J. GRAU Michael J. Grau, DMD PSC, 3805 Edwards Rd., Suite 160, Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 321-9627

JIMMIE L. HARPER Cincinnati Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Inc., 2852 Boudinot Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 451-7300

KHURRAM A. KHAN About Face Surgical Arts, 7523 State Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45255, (513) 2328989, www.aboutfacesurgicalarts. com

MARK A. KNIBBE Oral Facial Surgery Associates, 1481 Cavalry Dr., Suite 200, Florence, KY 41042, (859) 371-0123

Khurram A. Khan BDS, DMD Dr. Khan is a Board Certiﬁed Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. After his initial surgery training, he proudly served in the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson Air Force base in Dayton. After his military service, he completed a Fellowship in Pediatric Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery. Currently, he is the only Oral Surgeon who has fellowship training in both Pediatric Cleft and Craniofacial Surgery in the state of Ohio. Besides treating his patients in the U.S, he also operates on children with cleft lip and palate deformities around the world. Dr. Khan brings a wealth of knowledge and surgical expertise, he acquired from around the country, bringing cutting edge surgery for his patients. 7523 State Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45255, (513) 2328989, www.aboutfacesurgicalarts.com

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TOP DENTISTS 2021

DEEPAK G. KRISHNAN

MATTHEW F. PAGNOTTO

MICHAEL L. ROBINSON

NATHAN SPENCER

UC Health, 222 Piedmont Ave., Suite 7300, Cincinnati, OH 45219, (513) 475-8783

Tri-State Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 2300 Conner Rd., Hebron, KY 41048, (859) 586-4825

Northern Kentucky Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Associates, 20 Medical Village Dr., Suite 196, Edgewood, KY 41017, (859) 331-2100

Cincinnati Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery, 7140 Miami Ave., Suite 202, Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 271-5900

RICHARD LAMPING

STEVEN P. PIEPER

Cincinnati Oral Surgeons, Inc, 11438 Lebanon Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513) 769-5545

Cincinnati Oral, Maxillofacial & Dental Implant Surgery, 7140 Miami Ave., Suite 202, Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 271-5900

TIMOTHY W. SCHILLER

RANDALL D. STASTNY

Ohio Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, Inc., 3006 Glenmore Ave., Suite C, Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 661-7410

Blue Ash Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Inc., 4350 Malsbary Rd., Suite 201, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 984-2100

GARY G. PIES

JAMES M. SCHIRMER

Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery of Ohio, 7462 Jager Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 232-4600

The Center for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Countryside, 1726 Deerﬁeld Rd., Lebanon, OH 45036, (513) 932-9991

FREDERICK L. STEINBECK

GARRETT SEGHI

RODNEY STIGALL

Cincinnati Oral Surgeons, Inc, 11438 Lebanon Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513) 769-5545

Implants and Orofacial Surgery Specialists, 720 E. Pete Rose Way, Suite 305, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (859) 525-0022

MICHAEL LEE About Face Surgical Arts, 7523 State Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45255, (513) 232-8989

ROBERT LUCAS Cincinnati Oral Surgeons, Inc, 11438 Lebanon Rd., Sharonville, OH 45241, (513) 769-5545

CHRISTOPHER A. MCDANIEL Afﬁliates in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, 5188 Winton Rd., Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 829-8080

J. DAVID MORRISON JR. Oral & Facial Surgery Associates, LLC, 10506 Montgomery Rd., Suite 203, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-0550

JOHN L. PRATHER Prather Oral & Facial Surgery, 7268 Liberty Way, West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 777-9555

STEVEN J. REUBEL Steven J. Reubel D.M.D., 7729 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 891-2992

HANK W. SLEET Northern Kentucky Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Associates, 20 Medical Village Dr., Suite 196, Edgewood, KY 41017, (859) 331-2100

F. L. Steinbeck, DDS, MD, 627 Highland Ave., Ft. Thomas, KY 41075, (859) 781-0500

SCOTT L. THATCHER Thatcher & Boudreau, DDS, Inc., 800 Compton Rd., Suite 20, Cincinnati, OH 45231, (513) 521-0110

Lowitz & Meier The dental office of Terry K. Lowitz, D.D.S. and Melissa S. Meier, D.M.D. offers a unique dental experience for our patients. From the minute they walk into our warm, friendly environment, our patients know they are not just at the dental office, they are at home. Located centrally in Cincinnati, we have been serving our community for over 40 years. From a regular checkup to a complete smile makeover, our doctors’ top priority is the comfort and health of our patients. Drs. Lowitz and Meier pride themselves in offering our patients the most state-of-the art dental procedures available. We have incorporated the latest technologies in digital dentistry to make our practice one of the most technologically advanced offices in Cincinnati. From digital X-rays and impressions to fully-guided dental implant surgeries and same-day CEREC crowns, we give our patients the best, and they definitely know it. Our patient reviews speak for themselves. Our doctors and dental team are committed to giving our patients the most professional, compassionate care for a lifetime of dental health. Drs. Lowitz and Meier, 8712 Winton Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45231, (513) 521-8900, www.cincinnatidentists.com

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TOP DENTISTS 2021 GLENN S. WATERS

DARCIE R. BRADLEY

STEPHEN HAVERKOS

JAMES W. LOGEMAN

Oral & Facial Surgery Associates, LLC, 10506 Montgomery Rd., Suite 203, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-0550

Dr. Darcie R. Bradley, 5947 Cheviot Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 385-2161

Reddy & Haverkos Orthodontics, 5754 Bridgetown Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45248, (513) 481-8000

James W. Logeman, D.D.S., M.S., 5240 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 791-0260

ALEX CASSINELLI

ERIC HICKMAN

CHARLES A. MANILLA

Cassinelli, Shanker, & Baker, 4881 Cooper Rd., Blue Ash, OH 45242, (513) 549-6982

Hickman Orthodontics, 3116-L Montgomery Rd., Maineville, OH 45039, (513) 697-9772

Manilla Orthodontics, 347 Park Ave., Hamilton, OH 45013, (513) 434-8307

JERROD DEMPSEY

KEVIN ISON

FERNANDO MARTINEZ

Gruelle Dempsey Orthodontics, 9675 Montgomery Rd., Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 891-2369

Orthodontic Specialists, 24 N. E St., Hamilton, OH 45013, (513) 772-6500

Martinez Orthodontics, 6381 Bridgetown Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45248, (513) 598-9800

YAVUZ YILDIRIM Oral & Facial Surgery Associates, LLC, 10506 Montgomery Rd., Suite 203, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-0550

ORTHODONTICS MICHAEL AGENTER Shine Orthodontics, 670 N. Broadway St., Lebanon, OH 45036, (513) 409-5052

ROBIN BAKER Cassinelli, Shanker, & Baker, 4881 Cooper Rd., Blue Ash, OH 45242, (513) 549-6982

SPENCER BOLEY Boley Braces, 5530 Muddy Creek Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 347-9222

NELSON R. DIERS Nelson R. Diers, DDS, MSD, 7218 Towne Centre Dr., West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 829-4400

BART GIRDWOOD Girdwood Orthodontics, 600 Columbus Ave., Lebanon, OH 45036, (513) 932-7675

TERRY GRUELLE Gruelle Dempsey Orthodontics, 9675 Montgomery Rd., Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 891-2369

LAMONT (MONTY) B. JACOBS Lamont Jacobs Orthodontics, 1242 Nilles Rd., Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 829-7045

GRACE KERR Grace Kerr Orthodontics, 2706 Observatory Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 533-4200

WILLIAM LANGE Lange Orthodontics, 9157 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-0777

ASHLEY MENCARELLI Gruelle Dempsey Orthodontics, 9675 Montgomery Rd., Suite 100, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 891-2369

KENT MORRIS Kent Morris Orthodontics, 9573 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 683-3900

DONALD R. MURDOCK Murdock Orthodontics, 5420 N. Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45247, (513) 662-2100

Dr. Jane Mays The office of Dr. Jane Mays sets itself apart from other dental practitioners by actively working with patients on whole-body well-being through the practice of Oral-Systemic Health. The correlations between oral diseases and systemic conditions are broadly accepted. Inflammation and/or bacteria in the oral cavity can be connected to seven of the 10 leading causes of death. The experienced staff at Mays Dentistry utilizes patient education, has implemented screening protocols and tools, and collaborates with local medical professionals to effectively manage the oral manifestations of systemic diseases. OralDNA Labs’ MyPerioPath saliva testing is one tool utilized in Dr. Mays’ office to diagnose the specific underlying oral pathogens causing periodontal disease and inflammation and leading to a higher incidence of chronic systemic diseases. This allows you to effectively manage your health, well-being, and longevity as our office guides you to the goal of a longer and more active life. 2631 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 3211102, www.janemaysdmd.com

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MONICA L. NEWBY Monica L. Newby, D.D.S., 5050 Oaklawn Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45227, (513) 531-7566, newby orthodontics.com

DANIEL NOLL Orthodontic Specialists, 7559 Mall Rd., Suite A, Florence, KY 41042, (513) 772-6500

TIMOTHY M. REDDY Reddy & Haverkos Orthodontics, 5754 Bridgetown Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45248, (513) 481-8000

ANTHONY RINALDI Rinaldi Orthodontics, 5987 Meijer Dr., Milford, OH 45150, (513) 8316160

MONA RINALDI Rinaldi Orthodontics, 5987 Meijer Dr., Milford, OH 45150, (513) 8316160

TOP DENTISTS 2021

BRIAN W. ROMICK

PETER M. SUFFIELD

EDWARD WNEK

Romick Orthodontics, 7655 Five Mile Rd., Suite 207, Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 232-4110

Precision Orthodontics, 8154 Montgomery Rd., Suite 102, Cincinnati, OH 45236, (513) 891-4324

Wnek Orthodontics, 2712 Erie Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 871-0324

ROBERT D. RUST

JAMES N. THACKER

Rust Orthodontics, 7655 Five Mile Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 232-6050

Thacker Orthodontics, 1057 Nimitzview Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 802-9360

SHIV SHANKER

MARYEVAN THACKER

Zettler Orthodontics, 417 Park Ave., Hamilton, OH 45013, (513) 863-1984

Cassinelli, Shanker, & Baker, 4881 Cooper Rd., Blue Ash, OH 45242, (513) 549-6982

Thacker Orthodontics, 1057 Nimitzview Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 802-9360

STEVEN M. ZETTLER

JACOB STADIEM

SHELLEY A. TRETTER

Northeast Orthodontic Specialists, 9380 Kenwood Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 793-4770

Tretter Orthodontics, 11831 Mason Montgomery Rd., Suite A, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 697-9999

PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

JANICE STRUCKHOFF

ALAN R. WEBER

Struckhoff Orthodontics, 1944 Declaration Dr., Independence, KY 41051, (859) 356-6630

Northeast Orthodontic Specialists, 9380 Kenwood Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 793-4770

Dr. Bert Pediatric Dentistry, 525 Alexandria Pike, Suite 330, Southgate, KY 41071, (859) 781-4100

JERI L. STULL

BRYAN R. WIRTZ

Jeri L. Stull Orthodontics, 637 Highland Ave., Ft. Thomas, KY 41075, (859) 781-2662

Bryan R. Wirtz, DDS, MS, 11329 Springﬁeld Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45246, (513) 772-1671

JAMES J. ZETTLER Zettler Orthodontics, 417 Park Ave., Hamilton, OH 45013, (513) 863-1984

JAMES R. ZETTLER JR.

Zettler Orthodontics, 417 Park Ave., Hamilton, OH 45013, (513) 863-1984

BERT BATHIANY

KATIE BLOMER Hyde Park Pediatric Dentistry, 3870 Paxton Ave., Suite G, Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 979-6998

Dr. Fred Peck Dr. Fred Peck, D.D.S., FAACD, is a third-generation dentist practicing in Cincinnati for more than 30 years. He is the ﬁrst Accredited Fellow of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in Ohio, a process that involved rigorous training in cosmetic dentistry and required passing an extensive AACD Accreditation Board Examination. A graduate of The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Dr. Peck went on to complete the curriculum at the Kois Center in Seattle, regarded by many as the leading advanced continuing education center for dentists in the United States. Being accomplished in cosmetic dental techniques, Dr. Peck has published numerous articles in a variety of dental journals and presents lectures and hands-on techniques to share his skills to dental professionals across the United States and Canada. 8251 Cornell Rd., Suite 130, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 621-7666, www.peckdds.com

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TOP DENTISTS 2021 MARIE CALLEN

SARAH HUSTED

DAVID RIDER

ADEL M. TAWADROS

Marie Callen, DMD, 11306 Montgomery Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 376-8200

Sea of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, 1319 Nagel Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45255, (513) 474-6777

David Rider, D.M.D., 1809 Alexandria Pike, Suite A, Highland Heights, KY 41076, (859) 781-1500

Adel M. Tawadros DDS MPH, 420 Ray Norrish Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45246, (513) 671-1666

MURRAY DOCK

KAITLIN JENNISON

LISA RUDOLPH

BRACKEN WEBB

Montgomery Pediatric Dentistry, 4881 Cooper Rd., Blue Ash, OH 45242, (513) 891-0660

Union Pediatric Dentistry, 2012 Callie Way, Suite 202, Union, KY 41091, (859) 384-6050

Montgomery Pediatric Dentistry, 4881 Cooper Rd., Blue Ash, OH 45242, (513) 891-0660

West Chester Pediatric Dentistry, 9215 Cincinnati-Columbus Rd., West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 777-2313

LAURA DOSS

TRISHA R. MCNAMARA

NANNETTE R. SHERMAN

JODY L. WRIGHT

Elizabeth Mueller, DDS & Associates, 9200 Montgomery Rd., Suite 4B, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-3660

The Pediatric Dentist, 5177 N. Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45211, (513) 662-5203

Nannette R. Sherman, DDS, 7908 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd., Suite R, West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 755-7220

Wright Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, 50 Remick Blvd., Springboro, OH 45066, (937) 885-2222

SOPHIE DUVAL-AUSTIN

ELIZABETH MUELLER

ERIC M. SOPER

Pediatric Dental Garden, 25 Town Center Blvd., Suite 202, Crestview Hills, KY 41017, (859) 344-6200

Elizabeth Mueller, DDS & Associates, 9200 Montgomery Rd., Suite 4B, Cincinnati, OH 45242, (513) 791-3660

JOHN GENNANTONIO

CINDY R. PONG

KATIE STEWART

Sea of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, 1319 Nagel Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45255, (513) 474-6777

Smiles 4 Kids Pediatric Dentistry, 11350 Springﬁeld Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45246, (513) 771-5231

Sea of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, 1319 Nagel Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45255, (513) 474-6777

WILLIAM A. GREENHILL

RONALD L. POULOS

DAVID M. SULLIVAN

Union Pediatric Dentistry, 2012 Callie Way, Suite 202, Union, KY 41091, (859) 384-6050

Pediatric Dentistry of Anderson, 7655 Five Mile Rd., Suite 214, Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 232-0550

The Pediatric Dentist, 5177 N. Bend Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45211, (513) 662-5203

The Pediatric Dental Center, 5495 N. Bend Rd., Suite 102, Burlington, KY 41005, (859) 488-7896

PERIODONTICS ANDREW BAKER Shapiro and Baker Periodontics & Dental Implants, 8350 E. Kemper Rd., Unit C, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 984-4867

CHRISTOPHER W. BECKNER Christopher W. Beckner, DDS, 5850 Boymel Dr., Unit 2, Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 856-8253

Dr. Raymond A. Bonomo Bonomo Periodontics We pride ourselves in treating our patients like family. We would love to earn your trust and become your specialist! We specialize in such areas as dental implants, periodontal disease, and gum recession. We offer a variety of sedation techniques to make your visit as comfortable as possible! : “Friendly and caring. Explains everything in understandable terms. Spends time with his patients. Professional. Great staff.” —Patient C. Rubato 6208 Muhlhauser Rd., West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 671-0222 34 Remick Blvd., Springboro, OH 45066, (937) 886-9940 www.bonomoperiodontics.net

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Christopher F. Heck, DMD When visiting us in the heart of Montgomery, you’ll find yourself in a friendly and modern dental office that’s equipped to handle any situation with the most scientifically proven techniques, methods, and materials that will yield long-lasting results! Dr. Heck and his caring staff take great pride in treatment outcomes for our patients and every patient gets individual attention, no matter whether it’s routine care or a dental emergency. We look forward to meeting you! 9370 Main St., Ste B, Cincinnati, OH 45252, (513) 794-1884, www.montgomerygeneraldentistry.com

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TOP DENTISTS 2021

STACEY BLUME

DAVID KRILL

MICHAEL POTH

JEFFREY WESSEL

Stacey Blume, DMD, MS, 4030 Smith Rd., Suite 225, Cincinnati, OH 45209, (513) 871-8488

Wessel Periodontics, LLC, 8221 Cornell Rd., Suite 430, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 891-3933

Harris Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, 5138 Cedar Village Dr., Mason, OH 45040, (513) 336-8100

Wessel Periodontics, LLC, 8221 Cornell Rd., Suite 430, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 891-3933

DR. RAYMOND A. BONOMO

NEAL LEMMERMAN

VLADIMIR SHAPIRO

Bonomo Periodontics, 6208 Muhlhauser Rd., West Chester, OH 45069, (513) 671-0222; 34 Remick Blvd., Springboro, OH 45066, (937) 886-9940, www.bonomoperiodon tics.net

Lemmerman Periodontics, 6950 E. Kemper Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 851-9292

Shapiro and Baker Periodontics & Dental Implants, 8350 E. Kemper Rd., Unit C, Cincinnati, OH 45249, (513) 984-4867

PROSTHODONTICS

RYAN P. ESTES Southern Roots Periodontics and Implant Specialists, 8136 Mall Rd., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 371-6543

RYAN HARRIS Harris Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, 5138 Cedar Village Dr., Mason, OH 45040, (513) 336-8100

TIFFANY HARRIS Harris Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, 5138 Cedar Village Dr., Mason, OH 45040, (513) 336-8100

DR. ROBERT LIMARDI Robert J. Limardi, DDS, MS, MEd, NR-EMT, 3174 Mack Rd., Suite 1, Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 870-9672, www.periodontalvisions.com

MARK SILVERS

ALLISON K. MARLOW

SCOTT SILVERSTEIN

Southern Roots Periodontics and Implant Specialists, 8136 Mall Rd., Florence, KY 41042, (859) 371-6543

Ohio Valley Center for Periodontics & Implants, 748 State Route 28, Suite A, Milford, OH 45150, (513) 854-0338

LARRY S. MARTIN Martin Periodontics, 1211 Nilles Rd., Fairﬁeld, OH 45014, (513) 829-8999

MATTHEW M. PARKER

Mark Silvers DDS MS, 7710 Shawnee Run Rd., Suite G1, Cincinnati, OH 45243, (513) 271-1101

MICHAEL C. TOMS Michael C. Toms, DDS, MS, 5532 Muddy Creek Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45238, (513) 922-7300

DAVID D. CARRIER David D. Carrier, DDS, 121 William Howard Taft Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45219, (513) 961-8113

MANNY CHOPRA Center for Dental Health, 2752 Erie Ave., Suite 1, Cincinnati, OH 45208, (513) 871-4411

ROBERT F. FAULKNER Robert F. Faulkner, DDS and Robert J. Falukner DMD, 6355 E. Kemper Rd., Suite 150, Cincinnati, OH 45241, (513) 489-8070

GORDON HUNTRESS Gordon Huntress DDS, 222 Piedmont Ave., Suite 8300, Cincinnati, OH 45219, (513) 475-7991 Q

Parker Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, 8000 Five Mile Rd., Suite 350, Cincinnati, OH 45230, (513) 474-4486

Seven Star Dental Experience cutting-edge dental technology in a beautiful spa-like environment. Conveniently located downtown on Seventh Street, Seven Star Dental’s main focus is in general and cosmetic dentistry, from simple cleanings to complete smile makeovers. Dr. Maria Bustamante offers state-of-the-art cosmetic dentistry including Invisalign, Zoom Whitening, porcelain veneers, and same-day crowns. She has received intensive training in areas ranging from restorative and cosmetic dentistry to oral surgery, sedation, and full-mouth rehabilitation. Patients love our private treatment and consultation rooms and relaxing touches like heated massage chairs, Wi-Fi and tablets, Netﬂix, and refreshments. Thanks to Dr. Bustamante’s dedication to dentistry, along with an experienced, friendly team and comfortable atmosphere, every Seven Star patient can expect a seven-star experience!

7 W. Seventh St., Suite 1, Cincinnati, OH 45202, (513) 241-7827, www.sevenstardental.com

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Mark your calendar and get ready to have fun this summer. We’ve gathered our annual list of cool summer camps and selected some fun-for-all activities to make the most of the upcoming season.

Country Club. Lunch may be brought from home or purchased for $30 per week.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SUMMER CAMP PLANNER Contact: (513) 761-7500 ext. 1241, daycamp@ mayersonjcc.org

and Tekulve Acceleration Sports Training to oﬀer additional programming.

from gymnastics, basketball, and tennis to art, science, nature, and more.

X At Camp at the J, kids can experience the best of summer. From swimming and archery to arts and cra s, camp values, and color wars, kids will create memories and form friendships to last a lifetime. Give your child a summer to remember at Camp at the J.

SUMMER ADVENTURE CLUB Primrose School of Symmes, Symmes Twp. Dates: June 1–August 20 Age/Grade: Ages 5–12; must have completed kindergarten Cost: $260 per week (5 days), $180 per week (3 days) Contact: (513) 697-6970, primrosesymmes.com

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CINCINNATI COUNTRY DAY SUMMER PROGRAMS Cincinnati Country Day School, Indian Hill Dates: Weekly sessions, June 1–August 9 Age/Grade: 18 months–grade 12 Cost: Fees vary Contact: (513) 979-0229, moulint@countryday.net, www.countryday.net/programs/cd365/ccdsummer X Cincinnati Country Day School offers day camps (18 months–grade 8) and Growing with Nature Explorer camps (ages 3–grade 1), as well as a variety of academic, art, and athletic courses. A few of the summer course offerings include: Adventure Camp, Handwriting & Phonics Bootcamp, Sewing, Theater Camp, Football, CCDSports Camp, and Lacrosse Camp. Physical education for high school credit is also offered. This year, CCDSummer is partnering with iSPACE, New Leaf Kitchen, Nike Basketball,

X Themed weeks are sure to challenge young explorers with guest speakers, multiple field trips each week, and incredible activities. Cost includes all field trips, two snacks, lunch, T-shirt, and water bo le. Camp runs 8:45 a.m–3:30 p.m. and before- and a er-care is included in the price (6:45 a.m.–6:15 p.m.). SUMMER CAMP AT MERCY HEALTHPLEX Mercy HealthPlex, locations in Anderson, Fairfield, and Western Hills (Queen City) Dates: May 31–August 18 Age/Grade: Ages 3–12 Cost: Check website for details Contact: (513) 624-1871, mercyhealthplex.com X Mercy HealthPlex offers a wide variety of programs and activities for children this summer. Full- and half-day camps offer adventures ranging

Forbidden Fruit: Sin City’s Underworld and the Supper Club Inferno BY PETER BRONSON This is the story of a crime empire on the banks of the Ohio River. It’s a story of mobsters, hookers, murder and dice; dirty cops, crooked politicians and the underworld bosses whose power reached into the FBI, Congress and the White House.

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7 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

ZOO CAMPS Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Avondale Dates: Weekly sessions, May 31–August 9 Age/Grade: Age 4–grade 8 Cost: Fees vary; see website for details Contact: (513) 559-7767, education@cincinnatizoo.org X Explore the Zoo, experience nature, and discover the excitement and wonder of animals. Hikes in the zoo, visits from Animal Ambassadors, cra s, train rides, and so much more make Summer Camp a jam-packed week to remember. Every camper receives a summer camp T-shirt. Please register children according to the grade they will enter in the fall. Half- and full-day camps available.

SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY & CAREER EXPLORATION CHCA ACADEMIC & TECHNOLOGY CAMPS Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Symmes Twp. Dates: Weekly sessions, June–July Age/Grade: Grades K–9 Cost: Fees vary Contact: (513) 247-0900, www.chca-oh.org/summer

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SUMMER CAMP PLANNER X CHCA camps reinforce the CHCA mission by creating a positive environment in which students participate in a variety of camps related to topics such as robotics, coding, drones, and more. CHCA and non-CHCA students are welcome. CLASSROOM ANTICS STEAM CAMPS Sessions held in Anderson, Blue Ash, Bridgetown North, Liberty Twp., Madeira, Mason, Centerville, Springboro Dates: Weekly sessions, June 14–August 6 Age/Grade: Ages 7–13 Cost: $249 Contact: (800) 595-3776, hello@classroomantics. com, www.classroomantics.com X Kids learn what they love—developing video games, creating stop-motion movies, coding programs, modding Minecra , and more in these engaging week-long STEAM camps.

SPECIAL NEEDS STEPPING STONES Sessions held in Indian Hill (Given Campus), Batavia (Allyn Campus) Dates: June 7–August 6 Age/Grade: Ages 5–22, day camp; ages 16 and up, overnight camp

Cost: Day camp $53 per day, overnight camp $700 per five-day session Contact: (513) 965-5108, www.steppingstones summer.org X Stepping Stones, established in 1963, offers day camp at a 23-acre property in Indian Hill and overnight camp at a scenic 47-acre property in Batavia. Camp programs are designed for individuals with intellectual, developmental, or physical disabilities. Campers are able to find summer adventure and build independence in an encouraging and positive atmosphere.

SPORTS GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL JUMP START CLINICS Goldfish Swim School, West Chester or Anderson Dates: Week-long sessions, June–August Age/Grade: Ages 3–12 Cost: $115 per week Contact: West Chester, (513) 857-1700, swimwestchester@goldfishss.com; Anderson, (513) 719-6800, swimanderson@goldfishss.com, www. goldfishswimschool.com X Jump Start Clinics are five consecutive days of 30-minute swim lessons that focus on everything from the fundamentals of water safety to finetuning stroke technique.

LAFFALOT SUMMER CAMP Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, Symmes Twp. Dates: June 28–July 2 Age/Grade: Ages 6–12 Cost: $135 camp only, $195 camp and a er-care Contact: (513) 247-0900, sharon.frankart@chcaoh.org, chca-oh.org/summer X Laffalot Summer Camp offers a week of fun-filled activities that will leave campers smiling, exhausted, and ecstatic. Led by well-trained counselors, campers will spend the day playing high-energy sports and games that help them develop teamwork, improve interpersonal skills, learn sportsmanship, and more. All campers must wear gym shoes and bring a lunch and water bo le each day. NIKE BASKETBALL CAMP Cincinnati Country Day School, Indian Hill Dates: Girls June 28–July 1, boys July 12–15 Age/Grade: Ages 8–15 Cost: $325 Contact: (800) 645-3226, basketball@ussportscamps.com X Led by Coach Kyle Pottkotter, founder of One Five Sports, this camp will feature a daily emphasis on shooting and fundamental skill development, as well as competitions and team play. Lunch is included.

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20 YEARS OF UNHEARD VOICES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

20 YEARS OF

UNHEARD

By AIESHA D. LITTLE Illustration by KINGSLEY NEBECHI

SJOHNNA McCRAY, 48 2001: McCray wrote a ﬁrst-person essay on ﬁnding his writing voice while growing up in Walnut Hills. NOW: A writer and adjunct instructor at Georgia Gwinnett College in Athens, Georgia. His book of poetry, Rapture, won the 2015 Walt Whitman Award from the Academy of American Poets. In the last 20 years, I’m not sure much has changed in the way the average Black male is treated in society. I use the word “average” because white people use Barack Obama being president as an example of America’s progress. He is not the norm, however; he is the exception. The average

For me, it required true acknowledgment of my race and existence. It also required me to forgive. We inherited a history, but it doesn’t have to ravage the future. This doesn’t mean having historical or systemic amnesia. The work is continuous. The 2001 uprising, subsequent uprisings, and the Black Lives Matter movement demonstrate that white supremacy is a cyclical cancer that can be dormant or outrageous—like the Capitol Hill insurrection—but is ever present. Even though the world seemed to wake out of a complacent daze during the BLM demonstrations, it should not have taken this long. Too much Black blood has been spilled without consequence via the law. Even though I navigate the world as a somewhat safe Black adult, everything I learned about surviving in Cincinnati, in America, I learned from my father as a teenager: Always pay attention to your surroundings, always be of two minds (overly suspicious but with a constant smile), do what the officer tells you, and always carry a state ID.

“I THINK RACE RELATIONS CAN CHANGE FOR THE BETTER IN THE U.S., BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECKONING WITH HISTORY.” —SJOHNNA MCCRAY Black man does not have the Secret Service to protect us when we get pulled over, walk to the corner store, or simply go jogging. I think race relations can change for the better in the U.S., but there needs to be a reckoning with history. America’s history needs to be fully taught, and that includes not only the vicious, immoral brutality of slavery but the major contributions of Blacks and all marginalized peoples to the country’s success. History is messy, full of heroes and villains or ﬁgures who encompass both. It should be rendered as such. Nothing will change without the truth, and I believe that starts with factual, honest curriculum and responsible teachers. Our racially divided country can heal and thrive if people are willing to do the work. This work requires curiosity, empathy, patience, and a willingness to share. 8 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

LAWRENCE WILLIAMS II, 47 2001: Working as a youth advocate at Taft High School; interviewed with his father, Lawrence Sr. NOW: District sales manager at a pharmaceutical company, living in Liberty Township At the time of the uprising, I recall having a conversation with a male Taft student about his perception of the changing community [in Over-the-Rhine]. “We see all these people moving in that are eating good and we ain’t eating good,” he said. “People are going to do what they have to do to eat.” During this time, you had an environment where Black people were ﬁghting to live an American life in a community they were being pushed out of while being aggressively policed. The murder of Timothy Thomas was the spark that ignited an inevitable rebellion. While I have been blessed materially

over the last 20 years with additional education and advances in my career, my state of being Black in America is unchanged. The ability to navigate American life in the way that my white counterparts can is vastly different without wealth transfers from grandparents and parents. I’m still one of the few Black faces in the corporate spaces I occupy, as it was during my undergraduate and graduate studies. I still have to consider my posture and positioning in seemingly benign interactions as a large, dark-complected man in ways that would never cross the minds of my white counterparts. The improvement of race relations in the U.S. is possible but improbable without specific redress—i.e., reparations for American descendants of slavery and a Black policy agenda that closes the racial wealth gap. Reconciliation is a secondary step to the repair. There is a debt owed to the people who were codified by their government and private actors as the wealth engine that built the country. I have always had an affinity for politics and, more specifically, the impact of politics on Black life. There have been obvious changes when I consider that in the last 20 years we’ve had the first Black U.S. president of Kenyan and American lineage and currently the first Black vice president of Jamaican and Indian lineage. I have an appreciation of the symbolism and the impact it has on Black people specifically and the country generally from a perception of progress or change. Substantively, though, I see very little evidence of tangible change. The lesson is the same whether you consider uprisings in 1841, 1967, 1968, 2001, or 2020. When a virtually powerless people are continuously bottom casted, redlined, gentrified, brutalized by police, mass incarcerated, underemployed, and undereducated, the reaction is predictable. RICHARD K. WARD, 35 2001: The teenager used hip-hop to talk about his life and those around him in the West End. NOW: Telemarketing manager and part-time studio engineer, living in New Port Richey, Florida. He still raps under the name Mason Caine. That time period was when I became aware of my surroundings and the perception of Black youth in Cincinnati. I fell into

20 YEARS OF UNHEARD VOICES hip-hop and contemporary art very heavy, and that laid the foundation for things that still exist in my life today. I was living downtown on Ezzard Charles Drive, and the streets, projects, and parks were always alive. I tell my kids that we took buses everywhere and there was no social media; just texting and going outside and going to church. Moving from Ohio to Florida was a small culture shock. I went from Withrow High School’s Black majority student body to being 90 percent of the Black population at Hudson [High School in Hudson, Florida] solely by myself. My mother became president of the African American Club of West Pasco County, so I quickly learned the dynamics of rural areas in Central Florida with Confederate ﬂags, etc. Things haven’t changed that much, except you of course see more diversity in various facets of life and, for better or worse, we’ve watched mainstream America embrace hip-hop and urban culture. Getting older, you learn the lesson your parents told you about being a young Black

cinnati and 20 years later we’re still dealing with those types of situations. JABREEL MOTON, 35 2001: Attending Western Reserve Academy, a private high school in northeast Ohio NOW: Athletic director at Woodward Career Technical High School, living in Mt. Healthy That was a unique time in my life. I remember talking to my mom back home daily about all that was going on. I was not here to experience it ﬁrsthand, but it was scary to think of all the struggles going on while I was safely up in northern Ohio, focusing on hoops and school. I was being exposed to an entirely different way of life, where I didn’t have to worry about riots or curfews. A part of me wanted to be home, feeling like I could protect my mom and sisters from all that was going on. Being Black has not changed much for me in the last 20 years. I am a lot more aware of just how my Blackness deﬁnes who I am in many surroundings before I open my mouth to say a single word. I have had experiences that allow me to be comfortable

“THE OPTIMIST IN ME WANTS TO SAY RACE RELATIONS WILL CHANGE. . . . THE REALIST IN ME FEELS LIKE I WON’T SEE THIS CHANGE IN MY LIFETIME.” —JABREEL MOTON man. I still get pulled over in business attire. Having ’locs for over seven years and cutting them, I saw a difference in how I was treated during interviews, even though I might have been overqualiﬁed for the job. The 2001 uprising showed me a glimpse into what Cincinnati thought about us as Black people with the handling of Officer Stephen Roach. I will never forget his name. As I have become older and a father, I use those experiences to guide my family. Race relations have already changed, just not as much or as fast as we would like. Look at interracial couples. Look at social media, TV, and all the social activism being pushed to the forefront. It has to give you hope. It just sucks that the Timothy Thomas killing started our unrest in Cin8 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

in most spaces, but still always aware that my Blackness can make a person dislike me or not give me a legitimate shot based solely off of a trait I can’t change. The optimist in me wants to say race relations will change because I just don’t like to accept that there is that much evil and hate in the world we live in. The realist in me feels like I won’t see this change in my lifetime because, as far as we feel we have come, many of the things that still occur remind me that we have so far to travel. The uprising helped me understand the great disparity between those who have and those who do not. I can remember coming home for the summer in 2001 and hearing my friends and family talk about what it felt like being here and how angry people were because of what happened. It made me question what I was doing at

prep school around a bunch of people who didn’t look like me and who did not have a clue of how life was for me as a little Black boy who could have easily been Timothy Thomas. SHANNON LANIER, 41 2001: A student at Kent State University, he spoke with Cincinnati Magazine about his life as a descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings. NOW: Television news anchor in Houston and host of Daddy Duty 365, a podcast about celebrity fathers A lot has changed for Black people in 20 years, but a lot hasn’t changed. Yes, it may be easier to get a job that you are qualiﬁed for and people will not discriminate against you when you walk into most stores. We have had a Black president and a Black vice president, but we still have a lot further to go. Unarmed Black people are still being killed at an alarming rate that’s higher than any other ethnic community. I’m still afraid to get pulled over by the police. These are sad realities, but it’s a way of life that I have become accustomed to. However, I pray my kids don’t have to. I definitely think race relations in America will change from what they are today. Things will get better, and change will come. I hope and pray Dr. King’s dream will come true. It’s going to take each and every one of us, however, to do our part and empower that change we want to see in the world. We have to—and this will be difﬁcult for many—be willing to talk about and acknowledge the pain and anger from this country’s past. Then we can grow to a place of reconciliation. We must stop acting as if injustices like what happened to Timothy Thomas didn’t happen. It is our responsibility to acknowledge the wrong this country has done and learn from it. If we don’t, it will repeat itself. I’m one of those people who has always hoped for a better human race. I know we have it within all of us to do better. We just have to do the work to get better. Still today, with the BLM movement, we’re tired of the unfair and dehumanizing treatments our communities are experiencing. I’m still hopeful, now that our voices are being heard, that systematic changes will be made from the inside out.

CARROLL “CHIP” TODD, 50 2001: A rookie Cincinnati Police Department patrol officer NOW: Neighborhood liaison unit officer for Cincinnati Police Department’s District 1, living on the east side I’ll tell you that, back in 2001, policing experiences and protocols and procedures were very, very outdated. So outdated, if we’re looking at 2001 from 2021, which is why the U.S. Department of Justice came in and gave us parameters of where we needed to be to create a more fair and impartial police department. They gave us 12 standards [of policing], and the department abides by these 12 standards. Back in 2001, we didn’t have that. I always talk to the family, Hey, do this and that when you’re at a traffic stop. I don’t necessarily need to harp on that because it’s a) ingrained, but b) I know that this is what officers are looking for [at a traffic stop], because we all operate under that same standard and policy because of what we went through back in 2001. When that all transpired in 2001, it shocked me. Sitting in the Cincinnati Police Academy at the time, you could always hear a buzz, a hum, someone counting because we’re doing pushups, a radio, someone teaching. All of that was happening. And then roughly at 2 p.m. on April 10, it just got so eerie because it was quiet. As a recruit, I didn’t know what was going on. And then we were thrust into the civil unrest. Society has its bar of what being Black looks like, and I believe it’s changed a little from 2001 until now, but not a lot. There’s vast room for improvement. I do believe we’re starting to shift toward improving. Meaning if we have transparency, if we have vulnerability, we’ll have the conversation that’s needed for us to be more positive. It’s going to take a lot of tough conversations. It’s going to take a lot of change from both sides. But if we can come to some agreement and say, Hey, you know what? I didn’t like this. You didn’t like this, we can agree on not liking this and we pack and put it away and move forward. We don’t do that very well at this point. A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 3

D NE

SHELBI NATION’S PRIME CUTS P. 88

PAKTLI’S HEALTHY SNACKS P. 89

KAMPUCHEA KITCHEN, FT. THOMAS P. 90

BAR SAESO P. 92

GET STUFFED The Oakley Fish House sole ﬁllet—paired here with the Bad Habits Mule cocktail (house-infused chile pepper vodka, lime, and ginger beer)— is stuffed with backﬁn and shrimp, and served over lemon basil oil, vegetable risotto, and fried Spanish caper sauce. P H O T O G R A P H B Y J EO RN EAM T HY AKNR W A MI LELRI S

A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 5

DINING OUT

GO FISH

An old favorite is reborn in a different neighborhood: OAKLEY FISH HOUSE just keeps swimming. — A K S H A Y A H U J A

AKLEY FISH HOUSE IS IN MANY WAYS THE SECOND COMING OF THE OLD MT. Adams Fish House. Owner Chanaka De Lanerolle, who sold that restaurant back in 2011, jokes that he is “not the most creative when it comes to names.” For those who loved the old place, several dishes have migrated to this menu, and the chef, Robert Cash, comes from another one of De Lanerolle’s restaurants, The Celestial Steakhouse, which closed in 2018. De Lanerolle and his team deserve some applause simply for opening at a time when the challenges for a new restaurant are now truly daunting. There are the stringent COVID-19 sanitization protocols and the constant monitoring and tests for staff. Supply line challenges also particularly affect goods like high-quality seafood, which has to be ﬂown in daily from the coasts. Oakley Fish House has, luckily, one enormous thing going for it: an ideal location. Sitting on a corner of Oakley Square in the former home of Habits, the restaurant feels elegant and inviting. It also has an outdoor space that can seat about 30 people, which will open as soon as it starts to warm up. When things begin to truly open up again, one can easily imagine this restaurant becoming a cornerstone of the neighborhood’s social life. Seafood restaurants are a unique culinary category, since they center around a set of ingredients rather than a particular cuisine. A menu can jump from Japanese to Italian to Moroccan ﬂavors as long as there’s marine protein somewhere on the plate. This is part of what makes them fun—different people can get very different kinds of dishes. 8 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

FYI

Oakley Fish House 3036 Madison Rd., Oakley, (513) 631-3474, oakleyﬁshhouse.com Hours Dinner Tues–Thurs 4–10 pm, lunch and dinner Fri & Sat noon–10 pm, Sun noon–9 pm Prices $8 (Asian Salad)–$38 (Fish House Filet)

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEREMY KRAMER

C ASTING A LINE (From left) Oakley Fish House’s bar has an extensive wine and cocktail list; the ahi tuna appetizer with green tea soba noodle salad, served with the Oakley Fashioned cocktail (bourbon, Demerara, Luxardo, and Trinity bitters); the Fish House chowder; General Manager Jeysie Torres.

Most of the menu at Oakley Fish House tends toward the former—that is, fairly conservative takes on the classics. Dishes like crab cakes and chowder are exactly what you would expect from a good seafood restaurant. The crab cake is served on a bed of corn with a creamy red pepper sauce. It was well-seasoned with a nice burst of spice in the corn, although I like my crab cakes a little chunkier. The chowder, meanwhile, is absolutely full of seafood, nicely balanced, and very thick and creamy. Oakley Fish House, to its credit, never skimps on the good stuff. If anything, the richness of the offerings can become overwhelming. On certain dishes, I longed for more contrast. The herb salmon entrée, for example, which is served with a creamy, saffron-tinged risotto, badly needs something to break up the soft textures and muted flavors. The pistachio crust on the salmon could have been big and crunchy instead of a fine dusting, and the wavy drizzle of espelette tomato sauce could have been vibrantly spicy or tart or smoky so its flavor elevated the dish instead of fading into the background. Luckily, as De Lanerolle mentioned, people have become more adventurous eaters since the old restaurant closed in Mt. Adams a decade ago, more interested in different spices and cuisines. As a result, there are a handful of ethnic experiments on the menu, and to me, these were among its most vibrant and successful offerings. The ahi tuna dish, for example, is a lot like a deconstructed sushi roll, but with soba noodles instead of rice. There are the dark, smoky sesame flavors, the gently nose-clearing hint of wasabi, and vivid ribbons of pickled ginger. A familiar combination, but all in beautiful balance and immensely satisfying.

The Mediterranean fish stew, meanwhile, takes inspiration from the North African coast. The couscous is tender and fluffy, and soaks up a multi-faceted tomato sauce that felt like it was lighting up my whole mouth—there was a fiery dimension from the chiles and peppercorns in the spice blend, a sweet element from golden raisins, and lovely firm cashews for texture. A bright heat also comes from a Yemeni schug—a garlicky herbal chile sauce the restaurant also serves with its fresh oysters. And, as usual, there was lots of seafood in the stew, from mussels to shrimp to chunks of fish. You might want to order dishes like these—along with one of the salads, which are new to the menu since the Mt. Adams days—to make sure you leave the restaurant feeling pleasantly full rather than overstuffed. After many months of navigating pandemic chaos, things seem to be stabilizing at Oakley Fish House. From daily calls with his fish suppliers, De Lanerolle is starting to get a sense of what products are going to be reliably available. He hopes to begin offering sushi soon, and also to tweak parts of the menu for carryout. At the moment, the restaurant is primarily dine-in; some of the most popular items, like the fresh oysters, simply don’t carry out well, and others, like the shrimp and gnocchi, aren’t going to taste quite right after a car ride home in a plastic clamshell. De Lanerolle, using many years of experience in the restaurant business, is pivoting in the right directions—adding variety to the menu, tweaking offerings to attract new customers, and planning for a world where we can do things like enjoy music and a cocktail outside while slurping down an oyster. Cincinnati needs more good seafood restaurants. There’s already quite a bit to enjoy at Oakley Fish House, and one suspects that there will only be more in the future. A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 7

TABLESIDE WITH...

SHELBI NATION

FINE DIVING

BUTCHER SHELBI NATION serves up prime cuts at Wyoming Meat Market. How did you get into this career? I had recently moved back from Maine and was working in kitchens around town. I was ready for a change when I stumbled upon Wyoming Meat Market. At the time, I was looking at butchering programs around the country and in Italy. Jim [Gelhausen], the owner of 41 years, was telling me about their whole animal Wagyu program. I asked if I could start coming on my off days to help butcher. He said yes. The rest is history. There aren’t a lot of women in your line of work, right? I’m probably one of the few girls in the country who hangs a whole cow up every week. People are always amused when I sling around 200 pounds of meat. I like the physical challenge of it.

All Aboard IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN FAIRFIELD, THERE’S A RAILROAD MUSEUM POSING AS A diner. Even if you’re not a train aficionado, you’ll be fascinated by the memorabilia. There’s even an electric train that runs around the ceiling ledge. (Takes two and a half minutes. I timed it—me and every kid eating here.) So you’re looking for breakfast? Maybe you start your day light with fresh fruit and a muffin. Or maybe you want a heapin’ breakfast of country fried steak and eggs, plus a side of biscuits drowning in the sausage gravy. Either way, you’re covered at the Station. I went down the middle and got the custard-dipped French toast because you just can’t resist anything called that on a menu. At lunch or dinner, it’s sandwich city here—grilled ham and cheese, Philly steak, fish, or a Reuben. But I do need to point out the BLTasty Burger. It’s a third of a pound of Angus with cheese, lettuce, bacon, tomato, and ranch dressing. So what is that? Is it like a salad on a bun? Or a third of a cow? Whatever it is, I’m not complaining. If you like soup, Lindenwald Station may have the best bowl of chicken noodle soup in the tri-state. I swear I found two noodles and a spoonful of broth among all the chicken, onions, carrots, and celery that filled up that bowl. Like any good diner, the staff’s friendly. Humorously, somebody’s Lindenwald Station Family Diner, 5072 grandma wearing a Ramones T-shirt waited on me. Then I realized Pleasant Ave., Fairthat only grandmas listen to the Ramones anymore. Huh. —J . K E V I N W O L F E field, (513) 969-2202 8 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

What’s your specialty? Our specialty at the meat market is Wagyu. I would say my specialty is beef because of this. I’m a sucker for pulling apart the round and the chuck. I’ve got a cult following for chuck flap. Why butchering? I love taking the whole animal and finding all the different treasures hidden among the cow. I get to talk to people about what they’re cooking, help them find unique cuts for whatever they’re looking to make for their family and friends, and I get to learn every day.

—AIESHA D.

LITTLE

Wyoming Meat Market, 513 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming, (513) 821-1304 Read a longer conversation with Shelbi at cincinnatimagazine.com

PH OTO G R A PH BY C H RI S VO N H O LLE / ILLUSTR ATIO N BY C H R I S DA N G E R

SNACK TIME

A JOYFUL TREAT SEENA CHRITI dreamed of owning her own artisanal food company just to re-create one beloved product. “I grew up in Mexico eating a street snack called alegrias, made with puffed amaranth and honey or chocolate,” she says. “Amaranth was a staple of many Mesoamerican cultures, particularly the Mayans and Aztecs. They built statues made with amaranth and honey, which they used in religious ceremonies and then consumed.” Religious adoration aside, Chriti is making a healthier version of the childhood treat with her business, Paktli Foods (paktli means joy in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs). For her alegrias, the grainlike amaranth seed is combined with quinoa and millet, and heated to a crunchy, toasted texture before being mixed with organic chocolate—you can choose from white, milk, extra dark, or bittersweet with dried nuts and fruits. Pair it with a cup of coffee or take one with you for a snack on the go and satisfy your sweet tooth without the extra calories. —AIESHA D. LITTLE Paktli Foods, paktlifoods.com

P H O T O G R A P H BY A A R O N M . CO N WAY

A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 9

HOT PLATE

Kamp Out

Cambodian food served in the Bluegrass State. ACCORDING TO KAMPUCHEA KITCHen owner and head chef Thearvy Long, customers have come from as far as Lexington and Dayton for his food. That’s because it’s authentic Cambodian cuisine and the Ft. Thomas restaurant is one of the few places in the region that serves it. For Long, opening this spot last summer was a homecoming of sorts. He spent decades working at other kitchens in the area before deciding to cook the food he grew up on. Since this was my first time eating Cambodian food, Long’s son-in-law, Kevin, graciously walked me through the menu. I started with the bean paste bun and I’m glad I did. The soft, buttery bun, filled with a slightly sweet red bean paste, was almost like a dinner roll with marmalade. It was the perfect way to start the meal. The bread was also the star of the num pang, a Cambodian sandwich similar to the Vietnamese banh mi. Kampuchea Kitchen serves theirs on a crusty, chewy baguette with a choice of pork, beef, or chicken. What deliciously sets this sandwich apart from any banh mi I’ve ever had was the fresh papaya/carrot salad and the pleasantly tingly chili aioli. For dessert, I went with the mango sticky rice, a generous plate of coconut sticky rice topped with peanuts, sesame seeds, toasted coconut, and strips of fresh mango. This was hard to finish after my big meal. Luckily, the dish travels well, no matter where you’re coming from. — B R A N D O N W U S K E Kampuchea Kitchen, 1045 S. Ft. Thomas Ave., Ft. Thomas, (859) 814-8012, kampucheakitchen. square.site

9 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LANCE ADKINS

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HIDDEN GEM READY TO FEEL LIKE A TOURIST IN YOUR OWN CITY? HEAD TO THIS INTIMATE PENDLETON BAR AND REVEL IN THE ATMOSPHERE. — M A R I E L L E M U R P H Y

Nestled in a perfect corner of Pendleton, Saeso is the brainchild of Michael Guilfoil and Christy Wulfson of design team Guilfoil & Wulfson. The bar takes its name from the rebellious son of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, the Roman ruler and namesake of the city of Cincinnati. While the name was originally spelled “Caeso,” the team decided to take its own twist on the spelling and pronunciation (see-so). “We love the name because everyone knows Lucius Cincinnatus but few know Caeso,” Guilfoil says. “The origin story of the Cincinnati city name ties our location in Ohio directly to Rome, one of our favorite cities and a major inspiration for the bar, and of course the idea of rebellion or troublemaking.” Inspired by an Italian holiday, the decor is simple and effortless, casual yet luxurious. The ﬁrst thing you’ll notice is the exposed brick, various live plants, and comfortable lighting (sconces on the wall, little candles on the bar and at each table). It feels as though you’ve just stepped into a tiny café while wandering down an alley after sightseeing in Paris or Rome. This intimate charm makes Saeso the perfect place for enjoying cocktails during a special rendezvous with your signiﬁcant other, a day date with friends, or some good old fashioned one-on-one time with yourself. Speaking of cocktails, while Saeso provides a well-curated selection of beer and

wine, the small but mighty cocktail list is a point of pride. Don’t sleep on the Condesa, a smoky mix of mezcal and tequila ﬁnished with spicy honey. And to ﬁnd out what vacation in a glass tastes like, try the Spa Water Spritz, a refreshing gin and cucumber aperitif. Finally, you can’t miss the Pepperotini, a unique

take on a martini with vodka, vermouth, and, you guessed it, pepperoncini rind and juice. Borrowing inspiration from across the globe, the perfectly balanced cocktails showcase ﬂavor and fresh ingredients. At Saeso, you’ll discover your new favorite cocktail, and your new favorite place to enjoy it, too.

Saeso, 1208 Sycamore St., Pendleton, barsaeso.com.

The ﬁrst drink at Saeso is free for guests of Guilfoil & Wulfson’s Carriage House Airbnb next door, where drinks can also be delivered. BE THEIR GUEST

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY LANCE ADKINS

AMERICAN 94 BARBECUE 96 CAJUN/CARIBBEAN 96 CHINESE 96 ECLECTIC 97 FRENCH 99 INDIAN 100 ITALIAN 100 JAPANESE 100 KOREAN 100 MEDITERRANEAN 101 MEXICAN 102 STEAKS 103 THAI 103

DINING GUIDE CINCINNATI MAGAZINE’S

dining guide is compiled by our editors as a service to our readers. The magazine accepts no advertising or other consideration in exchange for a restaurant listing. The editors may add or delete restaurants based on their judgment. Because of space limitations, all

AMERICAN BROWN DOG CAFÉ If you haven’t had a plate of Shawn McCoy’s design set in front of you, it’s about time. Many of the menu’s dishes show his knack for the plate as a palette. A trio of stout day boat diver scallops—exquisitely golden from pan searing—perch atop individual beds of uniformly diced butternut squash, fragments of boar bacon, and shavings of Brussels sprout. The eye for detail and contrasts of colors and textures belongs to someone who cares for food. 1000 Summit Place, Blue Ash, (513) 794-1610, browndogcafe.com. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Mon–Fri, brunch and dinner Sat, brunch Sun. MCC, DS. $$

COPPIN’S With wine on tap and an extensive local beer list, Coppin’s is an ideal place to meet for drinks. In addition to plenty of Kentucky bourbon, much of the produce, meat, and cheese comes from local growers and producers. House-cured meat and cheese from Kenny’s Farmhouse and cheese from Urban Stead populate the “Artisan Cheese and Charcuterie Board,” which dresses up the main attractions with honey, dijon mustard, house pickles, and Sixteen Bricks grilled sourdough. The mussels—made with seasonally rotating sauces and chorizo from Napoleon Ridge Farms in Gallatin County—were served with a peppery tomato sauce, perfect for sopping up with bread. The seven-ounce Sakura Farms Wagyu rib eye with wild mushrooms, roasted parsnip, and beef jus is a must have. Or try the striped bass with grape farro roasted broccolini and mussel cream sauce. 638 Madison Ave.,

of the guide’s restaurants may not be included. Many restaurants have changing seasonal menus; dishes listed here are examples of the type of cuisine available and may not be on the menu when you visit. To update listings, e-mail: cmletters@cincinnati magazine.com

sides. Bacon adds savory mystery to crisp corn, green beans, and edamame (not limas) in the succotash, and the crock of mac and cheese has the perfect proportion of sauce, noodle, and crumb topping. The Eagle OTR seems deceptively simple on the surface, but behind that simplicity is a secret recipe built on deep thought, skill, and love. 1342 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 8025007. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

GOOSE & ELDER

STORY TIME

MadTree Brewing Co. recently unveiled its new Legendary Lager series of stories, which features tales of individuals who achieved greatness after overcoming adversity on cans of the year-round brew. The ﬁrst in the series features heavyweight boxer/ community activist Ezzard Charles.

madtreebrewing. com/beer/legendarylager

Covington, (859) 905-6600, hotelcovington. com/dining/coppins. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

THE EAGLE OTR The revamped post office at 13th and Vine feels cozy but not claustrophobic, and it has distinguished itself with its stellar fried chicken. Even the white meat was pull-apart steamy, with just enough peppery batter to pack a piquant punch. Diners can order by the quarter, half, or whole bird—but whatever you do, don’t skimp on the

9 4 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

The third restaurant from chef Jose Salazar, Goose & Elder is a more everyday kind of joint compared to his others. The prices are lower, and most of the dishes, from burgers to grits, are familiar. Salazar’s menus have always hinted that the chef had a fondness for, well, junk food. But junk food is only junk if it is made thoughtlessly. Everything here is made with little twists, like the cumin-spiced potato chips and delicate ribbons of housemade cucumber pickles with a sweet rice wine vinegar. Even the fries, crinkle cut and served with “goose sauce,” a mildly spiced mayonnaise, are wonderfully addictive. The restaurant demonstrates that what we now consider “fast food” can be awfully good if someone makes it the old-fashioned, slow way. 1800

KEY: No checks unless specified. AE American Express, DC Diners Club DS Discover, MC MasterCard, V Visa MCC Major credit cards: AE, MC, V $ = Under $15 $$$ = Up to $49 $$ = Up to $30 $$$$ = $50 and up Top 10

Named a Best Restaurant March 2020.

basil, and chopped green onions packed into a homemade pie shell, topped with a cheddar cheese spread, and baked until bubbly. Weckman’s straightforward preparations are best. The shrimp and grits with sauteed shrimp spinach, mushrooms, Cajun beurre blanc atop a fried grit cake, short ribs braised in red wine and herbs, served over mashed potatoes with green beans and caramelized baby carrots that will bring you the comfort of a home-cooked meal. This is, at its heart, a neighborhood restaurant, a place with its own large, quirky family. 521 Main St., Covington, (859) 491-6678, ottosonmain.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

RED FEATHER KITCHEN

Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 579-8400, goose andelder.com. Lunch Tues–Fri, dinner Tues–Sun, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

Historically peasant-grade cuts of meat get the full Pygmalion treatment at Red Feather in Oakley, where there’s deep respect for the time and tending necessary to bring a short rib, pork chop, or hanger steak to its full potential. After a quick sear to lock in juices, the steak takes a turn in the wood-ﬁred oven. While primal cuts play a leading role, the supporting cast is just as captivating. The hot snap of fresh ginger in the carrot soup was especially warming on a winter evening and the crispy skin on the Verlasso salmon acts as the foil to the plump, rich ﬂesh. Service here only improves the experience. 3200 Madison

THE NATIONAL EXEMPLAR

Rd., Oakley, (513) 407-3631, redfeatherkitchen.com. Dinner Tues–Sun, brunch Sun. MCC. $$

The classics are here—prime rib with horseradish and au jus; liver and onions; an eight-ounce ﬁlet with bernaise—plus some new favorites, including short rib pasta. Or have breakfast, English-style: fried eggs, bacon, sausage, stewed beans, roasted tomatoes, and buttered toast. The dinner menu also features burgers, risotto, pasta, seafood, and plenty more lighter options. 6880 Wooster Pke., Mariemont, (513) 271-2103, nationalexemplar.com. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

OTTO’S Chef/owner Paul Weckman opened Otto’s, named after his father-in-law, with $300 worth of food and one employee—himself. Weckman’s food is soothing, satisfying, and occasionally, too much of a good thing. His tomato pie is beloved by lunch customers: Vine-ripe tomatoes, fresh

THE SCHOOLHOUSE RESTAURANT An old ﬂag stands in one corner and pictures of Abe Lincoln and the first George W. hang on the wall of this Civil War–era schoolhouse. The daily menu of familiar Midwestern comfort f are is written in letter-perfect cursive on the original chalkboard. Once you order from a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to your high school lunch lady, the elevated lazy Susan in the center of the table begins to ﬁll up with individual bowls and baskets of corn bread, slaw, salad, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and vegetables. The deal here is quantity. More mashed potatoes with your fried chicken? More corn bread with your baked ham? You don’t even have to raise your hand. 8031 Glendale-Milford Rd., Camp Dennison, (513) 831-5753, theschool ILLUSTR ATIO N BY S T E P H A N I E YO U N G Q U I S T

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housecincinnati.com. Lunch Thurs & Fri, dinner Thurs–Sun. MCC, DS. $

SUGAR N’ SPICE This Paddock Hills diner, with a second location in Over-the-Rhine, has been dishing up wispythin pancakes and football-sized omelettes to Cincinnatians since FDR was signing new deals. Breakfast and lunch offerings mix old-hat classics like steak and eggs, corned beef hash, and basic burgers with funky iterations that draw on ethnic ingredients such as chorizo and tzatziki. Get here early if you don’t want to stand in line. 4381 Reading Rd., Paddock Hills; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 242-3521, eatsugarnspice. com, Breakfast and lunch seven days. MCC. $

TANO BISTRO Gaetano Williams’s Loveland bistro is comfortable, with reasonably priced food and amenable service. The menu is tidy—25 or so dishes divided between appetizers, salads, and entrées, plus two or three specials—its flavor profile partially influenced by a childhood growing up in a third generation Italian family. Most of Tano Bistro’s main courses lean toward the comfortable side of American. For instance, Williams serves a stuffed salmon and potato-crusted chicken. The simple roast chicken is also worth a trip to Loveland, sweetly moist beneath its crisp bronze skin. 204 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland, (513) 683-8266, foodbytano.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Fri, brunch and dinner Sat & Sun. MCC. $$$

TRIO

YO QUIERO

Derrick Braziel’s taqueria Pata Roja has partnered with Bar Saeso in Pendleton to sling al pastor tacos out of the establishment’s bar back area, which has been reimagined as a cantina.

patarojatacos.com

Trio is nothing if not a crowd pleaser. Whether you’re in the mood for a California-style pizza or ﬁlet mignon (with side salad, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed swiss chard, and mushroom jus), the menu is broad enough to offer something for everyone. It may lack a cohesive point of view, but with the number of regulars who come in seven nights a week, variety is Trio’s ace in the hole. A simple margherita pizza with roma tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, and provolone delivered a ﬁne balance of crunchy crust, sharp cheese, and sweet, roasted tomatoes. Paired with a glass of pinot noir, it made a perfect light meal. The service is friendly enough for a casual neighborhood joint but comes with white tablecloth attentiveness and knowledge. Combine that with the consistency in the kitchen, and Trio is a safe bet. 7565 Kenwood Rd., Kenwood, (513) 984-1905, triobistro.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC. $$$

YORK STREET CAFÉ Five blocks from the Newport riverfront, Terry and Betsy Cunningham have created the sort of comfortable, welcoming environment that encourages steady customers. A dependable menu and quirky atmosphere appeal to a broad range of diners, from non-adventurous visiting relatives to non-attentive children. Desserts have always been one of the stars: ﬂourless chocolate hazelnut torte, bittersweet, rich and moist; butter rum pudding that would be equally at home on a picnic table or a ﬁnely dressed Michelinstarred table. 738 York St., Newport, (859) 2619675, yorkstonline.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

BARBECUE SINNERS & SAINTS TAVERN You won’t leave this Texas smokehouse/sports bar hungry. From the Not Yo Mama’s Fried Bologna sandwich to the slow-smoked brisket—served with Texas BBQ sauce, white bread, and pickles, or in a hoagie—you can’t go wrong with these rich barbecue ﬂavors. Several dishes, like the housemade sausage links, draw on German inﬂuences

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found in both Texas and Cincinnati cuisine, while the sides take ﬂavors back to the country (try the creamy coleslaw, crispy onion straws, and chilispiced cornbread). The resaurant’s character shines through its decor, which includes hanging hockey memorabilia, pictures of public ﬁgures and tables made from real NBA courts. 2062 Riverside Dr., East End, (513) 281-4355, sinsaint smoke.com. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

WALT’S HITCHING POST A Northern Kentucky institution returns. Roughly 750 pounds of ribs per week are pit-ﬁred in a small building in front of the restaurant, with a smaller dedicated smoker out back for brisket and chicken. Walt’s ribs begin with several hours in the smokehouse and then are quick-seared at the time of service. This hybrid method takes advantage of the leaner nature of the baby-back ribs they prefer to use. Each rib had a just-right tooth to it where soft ﬂesh peeled away from the bone. One hidden treasure: Walt’s housemade tomato and garlic dressing. Slightly thicker than a vinaigrette yet unwilling to overwhelm a plate of greens, the two key elements play well together. 3300 Madison Pke., Ft. Wright, (859) 360-2222, waltshitchingpost.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$

CAJUN/ CARIBBEAN BREWRIVER CREOLE

etouffee. But the rockin’ gumbo—a thick, murky brew of andouille sausage, chicken, and vegetables—serves the best roundhouse punch all year round. As soon as you inhale the bouquet and take that ﬁrst bite, you realize why Cajun style food is considered a high art form and a serious pleasure. And you’ll start planning your return trip. 6302 Licking Pke., Cold Spring, (859) 781-2200, letseat.at/knottypine. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

CHINESE AMERASIA A sense of energetic fun defines this tiny Chinese spot with a robust beer list. The glossy paper menu depicts Master Chef Rich Chu as a “Kung Food” master fighting the evil fast-food villain with dishes like “fly rice,” “Brocco-Lee,” and “Big Bird’s Nest.” Freshness rules. Pot stickers, dumplings, and wontons are hand-shaped. The Dragon’s Breath wontons will invade your dreams. Seasoned ground pork, onion, and cilantro meatballs are wrapped in egg dough, wok simmered, and topped with thick, spicy red pepper sauce and fresh cilantro. Noodles are clearly Chef Chu’s specialty, with zonxon (a tangle of thin noodles, finely chopped pork, tofu, and mushrooms cloaked in spicy dark sauce and crowned with peanuts and cilantro) and Matt Chu’s Special (shaved rice noodle, fried chicken, and seasonal vegetables in gingery white sauce) topping the menu’s flavor charts. 521 Madison Ave., Coving-

More than 800 miles from New Orleans, this may be as close as you can get to the real deal here in your own backyard. The menu fully leans into Chef Michael Shields’s penchant for cuisine from the Crescent City. His six years of training under NOLA’s own Emeril Lagasse comes through in a scratch kitchen menu that spans a range of the city’s classics. The enormous shrimp and oyster po’ boys—the former protein fried in a light and crispy beer batter and the latter in a hearty cornmeal breading—are served on ﬂuff y French bread loaves and dressed with lightly spicy rémoulades. The jambalaya packs all the heat of a late summer day in the French Quarter without masking a hint of its satisfying ﬂavors. Paired with a Sazerac and nightly live jazz, you may just feel tempted to start a second line. 4632 East-

ton, (859) 261-6121. Lunch Sun–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC. $

ern Ave., Linwood, (513) 861-2484, brewrivercreole kitchen.com. Dinner Tues–Sun, brunch & lunch Fri–Sun. MCC. $

This is the restaurant of your childhood memories: the showy Las Vegas-meets-China decor, the ebulliently comedic host, the chop sueys, chow meins, and crab rangoons that have never met a crab. But behind the giant elephant tusk entryway and past the goldfish ponds and fountains is the genuine hospitality and warmth of the Wong family, service worthy of the finest dining establishments, and some very good food that’s easy on the palate. Best are the fresh fish: salmon, sea bass, and halibut steamed, grilled, or flash fried in a wok, needing little more than the ginger–green onion sauce that accompanies them. Even the chicken lo mein is good. It may not be provocative, but not everyone wants to eat blazing frogs in a hot pot. 317 Buttermilk

SWAMPWATER GRILL At first blush, this place is a dive where homesick Cajuns can find a good pile of jambalaya. But thoughtful details like draft Abita Root Beer and char-grilled Gulf Coast oysters on the half shell signal its ambition. Bayou standards like jambalaya, gumbo, and fried seafood also make an appearance. But the extensive menu also features amped up pub-style items for those who may be squeamish about crawfish tails (which can be added to just about anything on the menu). You’ll also find a roundup of oyster, shrimp, and catfish Po’Boys, as well as a selection of hardwoodsmoked meats. 3742 Kellogg Ave., East End, (513) 834-7067, swampwatergrill.com. Lunch and dinner Wed–Sun, brunch Fri–Sun. MCC. $$

KNOTTY PINE ON THE BAYOU The Pine serves some of the best Louisiana home-style food you’ll find this far north of New Orleans. Taste the fried catfish filets with their peppery crust, or the garlic sauteed shrimp with smoky greens on the side, and you’ll understand why it’s called soul food. Between March and June, it’s crawfish season. Get them boiled and heaped high on a platter or in a superb crawfish

HOUSE OF SUN Take a gander at the authentic Chinese section of the menu. There you’ll find a ballet of smoky, spicy sliced conch; thick handmade noodles soaking up rich, nostril-searing brown sauce; and crispy pork ears arranged like flower petals on the plate (think of fine Italian prosciutto). The popular American-Chinese chicken dishes are there, too, including General Tso, sweet and sour, and sesame chicken. 11955 Lebanon Rd., Sharonville, (513) 769-0888, houseofsuncincy.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sun. DS, MC, V. $$

ORIENTAL WOK

Pke., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 331-3000; 2444 Madison Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 871-6888, orientalwok.com. Lunch Mon–Fri (Ft. Mitchell; buffet Sun 11–2:30), lunch Tues–Sat (Hyde Park), dinner Mon–Sat (Ft. Mitchell) dinner Tues–Sun (Hyde Park). MCC. $$

RAYMOND’S HONG KONG CAFÉ It has all the elements of your typical neighborhood Chinese restaurant: Strip mall location. General Tso and kung pao chicken. Fortune cookies accompanying the bill. The dragon decoration. But it is the nontraditional aspects of Raymond’s Hong Kong Café that allow it to stand apart. The menu goes beyond standard ILLUSTR ATIO N BY S T E P H A N I E YO U N G Q U I S T

Chinese fare with dishes that range from Vietnamese (beef noodle soup) to American (crispy Cornish hen). The Portuguese-style baked chicken references Western European inﬂuences on Chinese cuisine with an assemblage of fried rice, peppers, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and squash all simmering together in a creamy bath of yellow curry sauce. Deciding what to order is a challenge, but at least you won’t be disappointed. 11051 Clay Dr., Walton, (859) 485-2828. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

SUZIE WONG’S ON MADISON A few items on the menu resemble those that were once served at Pacific Moon, such as laub gai and Vietnamese rolls, both variations of lettuce wraps. For the laub gai, browned peppery chicken soong (in Cantonese and Mandarin, referring to meat that is minced) is folded into leaf lettuce with stems of fresh cilantro and mint, red Serrano peppers, a squeeze of lime juice, and a drizzle of fish sauce. In the Vietnamese roll version, small cigar-sized rolls stuffed with chicken and shrimp are crisp fried and lettuce wrapped in the same manner. The Pan-Asian menu also includes Korean kalbi (tenderific beef ribs marinated and glazed in a sweet, dark, sesame soy sauce) and dolsat bibimbap, the hot stone bowl that’s a favorite around town. 1544 Madison Rd., East Walnut Hills, (513) 751-3333, suziewongs. com. Lunch Tues–Sat, dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

ECLECTIC Top 10

ABIGAIL STREET

Most people who’ve eaten at Abigail Street have favorite dishes that they order every visit: the Moroccan spiced broccoli, for example, or the mussels charmoula, with its perfect balance of saffron, creaminess, and tomatoey acidity. Many of the new items on the menu have the same perfected feeling as these classics. Working within a loose framework of Middle Eastern and North African flavors, Abigail Street has never fallen into a routine that would sap its energy. New offerings like the duck leg confit, with spicy-sour harissa flavors, firm-tender butternut squash, and perfectly made couscous, feel just as accomplished as old favorites like the falafel, beautifully moist and crumbly with a bright parsley interior. The restaurant is always watching for what works and what will truly satisfy, ready to sacrifice the superficially interesting in favor of the essential. 1214 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-4040, abigailstreet.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

Top 10

BOUQUET RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR

Normally diners aren’t pleased when a restaurant runs out of something. At Bouquet, though, surprise changes to the menu are simply a sign of integrity. Chef-owner Stephen Williams is serious about using seasonal ingredients, and if the ﬁgs have run out or there is no more chicken from a local farm, so be it. The ﬂavors at Bouquet are about doing justice to what’s available. Preparations are unfussy, complexity coming from within the vegetables and proteins themselves. A tomato salad—wonderfully fresh and vibrant, so you know the tomatoes have just come off a nearby vine—is dressed with chopped shiso, a crimson herb that tastes like a mysterious combination of mint and cilantro. This determination to make something delicious out of what’s on hand, to embrace limitations, gives the food at Bouquet a rustic, soulful quality. 519 Main St., Covington, (859) 491-7777, bouquetrestaurant. com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

E+O KITCHEN The former Beluga space comes alive with a menu that conjoins minimalist Asian with gutsy-cum-earthy Latin. The results are hit-or-miss: while guacamole was pointlessly studded with edamame, the pork belly buns are especially tender. Taco plates are a safe bet, with the “sol” pastor—pineapple coupled A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 9 7

globe: chicken tinga, spaghetti pomodoro, a New York Strip steak, guajillo chicken are all represented, along with a satisfying pappardelle with house-made sausage. Brunch is available all day; try the light lemon ricotta pancakes or the satisfying avocado benedict. 525 Race

MAIN WHERE REVIEW TO EAT NOW

St., downtown, (513) 421-2100, maplewoodkitchenandbar. com. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

with Korean kimchi, bulgogi pork, and cilantro—hitting all the right notes. More adventurous palates may opt for the nuanced ramen—the pork and soy broth teeming with cuts of both pork belly and slow-cooked shoulder, while a superbly poached egg lingers at the edge, awaiting its curtain call. Service is friendly but tends to sputter when it comes to the basics of hospitality.

MELT REVIVAL In this Northside sandwich joint, the restaurant’s name pretty much dictates what you should get. Diners have their choice of sandwiches, including the vegetarian cheesesteak—seitan (a meat substitute) topped with roasted onions, peppers, and provolone—and the J.L.R. Burger, a black bean or veggie patty served with cheese, tomato, lettuce and housemade vegan mayo. For those who require meat in their meals, try the verde chicken melt: juicy pieces of chicken intermingle with pesto, zucchini, and provolone. Not sure you’ll want a whole sandwich? Try one of the halvesies, a half-salad, half-soup selection popular with the lunch crowd. 4100 Hamilton Ave., Northside,

3520 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 832-1023, eokitch en.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

THE GOVERNOR This Milford restaurant playfully elevates diner classics. Breakfast is available all day so if you’re looking to greet the morning with decadence, try the ricotta toast, a thick slab of brioche toast smothered in ricotta and fresh, seasonal jams. Sandwiches also get an inventive twist here. The “Governor Tso’s chicken”—a crispy fried chicken breast glazed with a General Tso’s–inspired sauce, topped with coleslaw and served on a toasted sesame seed bun—is a gigantic, happy mess of a sandwich, but the sweet glaze faintly evokes the namesake “General” while letting the sublimely fried chicken lead the charge. Order a side of crinkle cut fries and ask for the housemade Maple Thousand Island dipping sauce. (You’ll thank us later.) 231 Main

MITA’S

It’s ﬁtting that chef Jose Salazar named this restaurant after his grandmother, because there is something deeply homey about the food at Mita’s. With a focus on Spanish tapas, it always feels, in the best possible way, like elevated home cooking. Its sophistication is modestly concealed. The ﬂavors are bold and direct, whether the smoky depths of the chimichurri rojo on skewers of grilled chicken or the intensely bright sourness of the pozole verde. In dishes like the mushroom soup, the chef hits every register: the acid of red piquillo peppers to balance the earthy mushrooms, the crisp fried leeks against the delicately creamy soup. But what mainly comes through is the warm-hearted affection a grandmother might have put into a meal for a beloved grandson.

St., Milford, (513) 239-8298, governordiner.com. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. Brunch and lunch Sun. MCC. $

MAPLEWOOD KITCHEN The latest effort from local restaurant juggernaut Thunderdome, owner of the Currito franchise. Order at the counter, then ﬁnd your own table, and a server will deliver what you’ve selected. There’s no cohesive cuisine, rather, the menu takes its cue from all corners of the

501 Race St., downtown, (513) 421-6482, mitas.co. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$ Top 10

ORCHIDS AT PALM COURT

The food at Orchids isthat is wonderfully complex, diverse, and surprising. A dish of parsnip soup has a quinoa chip and apple butter, along with salty duck prosciutto, notes of smoke and spice from the espelette pepper at the base of the bowl, and a touch of acid that crept in on the roasted parsnip. In a few dazzling bites it all comes together like a highly technical piece of music. A Southeast Asian–inspired halibut dish, with its green curry paste, adobo, and peanut brittle, shows how Zappas can break out of the restaurant’s traditionally European comfort zone. Aside from the food, part of the pleasure is simply being in the space, enjoying the jazz band, and watching the grace and assurance of the staff as they present the meal. 35 W. Fifth St., downtown, (513) 564-6465, orchidsatpalmcourt. com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$$$ Top 10

(513) 818-8951, meltrevival.com. MCC, DS. $ Top 10

It’s the kind of big hug everyone needs from time to time.

PLEASE

It’s hard to describe the food at Please to a person who hasn’t been there, except that it’s like nothing else in Cincinnati. Some of chef-owner Ryan Santos’s culinary experiments have been bizarre, some fascinating, and some simply delicious—and all of it emerges from a dining room–centered kitchen that seems like it belongs in a small apartment. Almost all of his risks hit their marks, from the frothy bay leaf–grapefruit mignonette on the oysters to the cedar-rosemary custard. What has made Please increasingly wonderful is a willingness, at times, to deliver something straightforward, like an outstanding course of rye gnocchi or a spicy green kale sauce with a lemony zing. That this weird and wonderful restaurant exists at all, and is actually thriving, is a compliment not just to Santos and his staff but to the city as a whole. 1405 Clay St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 405-8859, pleasecincinnati.com. Dinner Wed–Sat. MCC. $$$

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SENATE Ever since it began dishing out its lo-ﬁ eats, Chef Dan Wright’s gastropub has been operating at a velocity few can match. From the howl and growl of supremely badass hot dogs to the palate-rattling poutine, Senate has led the charge in changing the local conventional wisdom about what makes a great restaurant. Consumption of mussels charmoula means either ordering additional grilled bread to soak up every drop of the herby, saffron-laced broth or drinking the remainder straight from the bowl and perfectly crisped and seasoned fries inspire countless return visits. 1212 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine (513) 421-2020, senatepub. com; 1100 Summit Place Dr., Blue Ash, (513) 769-0099, sen ateblueash.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. (Blue Ash only: Brunch, lunch, and dinner Sun.) MC, V, DS. $

THE STANDARD Owners Paul Weckman and Emily Wolff offer a pared down menu of six small plates (if you include the fries) and ﬁve mains. It’s simple but satisfying, with an interesting PanAsian street food vibe. The two kinds of satay (particularly the lemongrass chicken) and the fried honey sriracha tenders, with an excellent housemade bread-and-butter pickle, are the highlights. In terms of drinks, try the Hot Rod, which has the ﬂavor of kimchi captured in a drink. There is a gochujang (salty, fermented Korean chile paste) simple syrup and a rim of Korean pepper—and the result is wonderful and unique. 434 Main St., Covington, (859) 360-0731, facebook. com/thestandardcov. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $

TASTE OF BELGIUM Jean-François Flechet’s waffle empire grew from a back counter of Madison’s grocery at Findlay Market to multiple full-service sit-down spots. There’s more on the menu than the authentic Belgian treat, though it would be a crime to miss the chicken and waffles: a dense, yeasty waffle topped with a succulent buttermilk fried chicken breast, Frank’s hot sauce, and maple syrup. There are also frites,

of course, and croquettes—molten Emmenthaler cheese sticks—plus a gem of a Bolognese. And let’s not forget the beer. Six rotating taps offer some of the best the Belgians brew, not to mention those made in town. 1133 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-4607, and other locations, authen ticwaffle.com. Breakfast and lunch Mon–Sat, dinner Tues–Sat, brunch Sun. MCC. $$

TERANGA West African cuisine consists of mostly simple, home-style dishes of stews and grilled lamb with just enough of the exotic to offer a glimpse of another culture. Be prepared for a few stimulating sights and ﬂavors that warm from within. An entire grilled tilapia—head and all—in a peppery citrus marinade and served on plantains with a side of Dijon-coated cooked onions is interesting enough to pique foodie interest without overwhelming the moderate eater. Stews of lamb or chicken with vegetables and rice are a milder bet, and Morrocan-style couscous with vegetables and mustard sauce accompanies most items. The dining room atmosphere is extremely modest with most of the action coming from the constant stream of carryout orders. 8438 Vine St., Hartwell, (513) 821-1300, terangacinci.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

lemongrass) that elevated the whole dish and made it special. 309 Vine St., 10th Floor, downtown, (513) 407-7501, theviewatshiresgarden.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$$

ZULA For a restaurant whose name loosely derives from an Israeli slang term for “hidden treasure,” it seems apt that a dish or two might sneak in and stun—like the mussels Marseilles, with its bouillabaisse-style broth, rich with saffron, tomato, and fennel. But Zula is no one-trick pony. With a wood-ﬁred oven on the premises, it’s incumbent on you to try the ﬂatbreads. One zula is the eggplant option, where caramelized onions and marinated red bell peppers pair well with subtly sweet fontina. Not every bite at Zula is a game-changer, but one is all you need. 1400 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 744-9852, zulabistro.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

FRENCH CHEZ RENÉE FRENCH BISTROT

THE VIEW AT SHIRES’ GARDEN The name of this restaurant demands that one question be answered first: So, how’s that view? Well, it’s impressive. Especially if the weather cooperates and you can get a seat outside. The cocktail list tells you a lot about The View at Shires’ Garden. Some restaurants create a whole list of original drinks. Here, it’s the classics: things like the Sazerac and the old fashioned. The menu is full of genuinely seasonal dishes, like the spaghetti squash with a creamy pecorino Alfredo sauce. The Asian-inspired skin-on black cod in dashi broth gently flaked apart in a subtle, flavorful miso broth and was served with wontons of minced fish, each with a magical citrusy quality (from

Based on American stereotypes of French food—that it’s elaborate, elitist, and expensive—one might expect Chez Renee to fall on the chichi side. Instead, it’s elegant in an everyday way, operating on the principle that it is better to excel at simplicity than to badly execute something complicated. The formula is not complex: Simple ingredients, generally fresh and from nearby, prepared without much fuss. Asparagus is beautifully roasted and perfectly salted, and the quiche Lorraine (yes, the old standby) has a nice, ﬁrm texture, and a ﬁne balance of bacon, mushrooms, and oignons (to quote the menu, which is a charming hodgepodge of French and English). This is solid, tasty food, both approachable and well executed. It’s well on

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MAIN WHERE REVIEW TO EAT NOW

its way to becoming, as a good bistrot should be, a neighborhood institution. 233 Main St., Milford, (513) 428-0454, chezreneefrenchbistrot. com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

INDIAN AMMA’S KITCHEN Muthu “Kumar” Muthiah serves traditional southern Indian and Indo-Chinese vegetarian cuisine, but with a sizable Orthodox Jewish community nearby, Muthia saw an opportunity: If he was going to cook vegetarian, why not also make it kosher? Muthiah prepares every item— from the addictively crunchy gobhi Manchurian, a spicy Chinese cauliﬂower dish, to the lemon pickle, tamarind, and mint sauces—entirely from scratch under the careful eye of Rabbi Michoel Stern. Always 80 percent vegan, the daily lunch buffet is 100 percent animal-product-free on Wednesdays. Tuck into a warm and savory channa masala (spiced chickpeas) or malai kofta (vegetable dumplings in tomato sauce) from the curry menu. Or tear into a crispy, two-foot diameter dosa (chickpea ﬂour crepe) stuffed with spiced onions and potatoes. 7633 Reading Rd., Roselawn, (513) 821-2021, ammaskitchen.com. Lunch buffet seven days (all-vegan on Wed), dinner seven days. MC, V, DS. $

BRIJ MOHAN

CHEFS’ BEST

Cincinnati recently ranked No. 6 in Rent.com’s “Best Cities for Chefs in America” list, which was calculated based on a city’s average grocery costs as well as the number of specialty markets, butchers/ farmer’s markets and total number of non-chain restaurants. rent.

com/blog/best-citiesfor-chefs

Order at the counter the way you might at a fast food joint, except the shakes come in mango and there’s no super-sizing your mint lassi. The saag, full of cream in most northern Indian restaurants, is as intensely ﬂavored as collard greens in the Deep South—real Punjabi soul food. Tarka dal is spectacular here, the black lentils smoky from charred tomatoes and onions, and the pani puri, hollow fried shells into which you spoon a peppery cold broth, burst with tart cool crunch. Follow the spice with soothing ras malai, freshly made cheese simmered in thick almond-ﬂavored milk, cooled and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. 11259 Reading Rd., Sharonville, (513) 7694549, brijmohancincinnati.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MC, V, DC. $

I TA L I A N ADRIATICO’S Everything about this place says it’s about the pizza: the herbed sauce, the assault of the cheese, the toppings. It’s all evenly distributed, so you get a taste in every bite. Adriatico’s still delivers the tastiest pizza in Clifton. On any given night the aroma wafts through every dorm on campus. It’s that popular because it’s that good. Being inexpensive doesn’t hurt either. 113 W. McMillan St., Clifton Heights, (513) 281-4344, adri aticosuc.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

Top 10

NICOLA’S

A stark contrast to Styrofoam cup soup, chef Han Lin’s ramens are a deep and exciting branch of cuisine, capable of subtlety, variation, and depth. The simplicity of the dish’s name hides a world of complexity. Zundo uses the traditional Japanese building blocks of ﬂavor—soy sauce, miso, sake, mirin—to create something freewheeling and time-tested. Bowls of ramen come with a marinated soft-boiled egg half, roast pork, green onion, and a healthy serving of noodles. Each has a distinct identity, like the milky richness of the tonkotsu, the rich and buttery miso, or the light and faintly sweet shoyu ramen. A transformative add-in is the mayu, or black garlic oil. Dripped on top of one of the subtler broths, it adds a deep, mushroom-y richness, with the hint of burned ﬂavor that makes barbecue so good. 220 W.

(513) 721-6200, nicolasotr.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DC, DS. $$$

12th St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 975-0706, zundootr. com. Lunch Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

Top 10

SOTTO

There are certain books and movies that you can read or watch over and over. Eating at Sotto is a similar experience: familiar, but so profound and satisfying that there is no reason to ever stop. Unlike other restaurants, where the techniques are often elaborate and unfamiliar, the magic at Sotto happens right in front of you, using ordinary elements and methods. When you taste the results, though, you realize that some mysterious transmutation has taken place. Penne with rapini and sausage comes in a buttery, lightly starchy broth with a kick of spice that you could go on eating forever. From the texture of the chicken liver mousse to the tart cherry sauce on the panna cotta, most of the food has some added element of soulfulness. 118 E. Sixth St., downtown, (513) 977-6886, sottocincinnati.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$$

J A PA N E S E ANDO You don’t go just anywhere to dine on uni sashimi (sea urchin) or tanshio (thinly sliced charcoalgrilled beef tongue). Don’t miss the rich and meaty chyu toro (fatty big-eye tuna), or the pucker-inducing umeshiso maki (pickled plum paste and shiso leaf roll). Noodles are also well represented, with udon, soba, or ramen options available. And don’t forget to ask about the specials; owners Ken and Keiko Ando always have something new, be it oysters, pork belly, or steamed monkfish liver, a Japanese delicacy that you’ll be hard-pressed to find in any of those Hyde Park pan-Asian wannabes. The only thing you won’t find here is sake, or any other alcohol. Bring your own, or stick to the nutty and outright addicting barley tea. 5889 Pfeiffer Rd., Blue Ash, (513) 791-8687, andojapaneserestaurant. com. Lunch Tues & Thurs, dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$$

KYOTO

This Italian place hits the spot on all levels. It’s casual—we felt at home in jeans and a T-shirt—but not so casual to rule it out as a date-night spot. It’s friendly, with a staff that stays on top of reﬁlling that Morretti La Rossa beer. And best of all, the food is amazing (especially for the price). We ranked their pizza the best in the city. Dubious? Their pizza Margherita will make a believer out of you. Their lasagna, spaghetti, and eggplant Parmesan will have you crying Mama Mia and other Italian-sounding phrases. Their dessert options (Cannoli! Tiramisu! Amaretto cream cake!) are all homemade, and delicious to the very last bite. 3764 Montgomery Rd., Norwood, (513) 631-6836. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat. MC, V. $$

Twp., (513) 583-8897, kyotosushibar.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

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KOREAN HARU After the closing of Sung Korean Bistro, Haru is a welcome addition to the downtown scene. Dishes are served along with the usual Korean accompaniment of pickles, kimchi, ﬁsh cakes, and other mysteriously delicious dainties. A favorite is the japchae, a traditional dish sporting silky sweet potato noodles with sesame-and-garlic sauce, matchsticks of assorted crisp vegetables, and behind it all a wonderful smokiness that pervades the whole meal. The accompanying pot of gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste, adds its own sweet and spicy note. The result is a homey, soulful, and satisfying taste that appeals even to those who’ve never eaten a bite of Korean food before. 628 Vine St., downtown, (513) 381-0947, haru cincy.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$

Owner Jason Shi seems to know everybody’s name as he chats up diners, guiding them through the extensive sushi and sashimi menu. Five young sushi chefs, all part of Shi’s family, work at light speed behind the bar, a choreography backlit by rows of gleaming liquor bottles. Dinner proceeds with glorious chaos as a feisty Carla Tortelli–like server delivers one dish after another—slivers of giant clam on ice in a supersized martini glass, a volcanic tower of chopped fatty tuna hidden inside overlapping layers of thin avocado slices, smoky grilled New Zealand mussels drizzled with spicy mayo, and delicate slices of a samurai roll—all between shots of chilled sake. 12082 Montgomery Rd., Symmes

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Nicola’s has entered a new era of exuberant creativity under the leadership of chef Jack Hemmer. You can still get the old Italian classics, and they’ll be as good as ever, but the rest of the menu has blossomed into a freewheeling tour of modern American cuisine. Any establishment paying this level of attention to detail—from the candied slice of blood orange on the mascarpone cheesecake to the staff ’s wine knowledge—is going to put out special meals. Rarely have humble insalate been so intricately delicious, between the perfectly nested ribbons of beets in the pickled beet salad or the balance of bitterness, funkiness, and creaminess in the endive and Gorgonzola salad. Order an old favorite, by all means, but make sure you try something new, too. 1420 Sycamore St., Pendleton,

RIVERSIDE KOREAN RESTAURANT Come for the jo gi mae un tang—a bowl of sizzling, happy hellbroth pungent with red pepper, garlic, and ginger, crowded with nuggets of fish, tofu, and vegetables. Come for the restorative power of sam gae tang, a chicken soup for the Seoul—a whole Cornish hen submerged in its own juices and plumped with sticky rice and ginseng, dried red dates, and pine nuts. Revered for their medicinal properties, both dinner-sized soups will leave your eyes glistening and your brow beaded with sweat. They’re a detox for your overindulgence, rejuvenation for when you’re feeling under the weather. Expect crowds on weekends. Expect too, that dozens of them have come for dolsot bibimbap, the hot stone pots filled with layers of rice, vegetables, meat or tofu, egg, and chili paste. Characterized by its electric color and addictive flavors, Riverside Korean’s version is a captivating bowl of heaven. 512 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 291-1484, riversidekoreanres taurant.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

SURA This traditional Korean oasis has been flying well beneath the radar since 2010. Don’t let the pepper count on the menu deter you. Each entrée arrives with purple rice and assorted small bites aimed at cutting the heat—steamed broccoli, pickled radishes, soy-sauce-marinated tofu, panfried fish cake, and housemade kimchi. Korean barbecue staple osam bulgogi—one of only two items meriting a three pepper rating—swiftly clears sinuses with a flavorful duo of pork belly and squid lashed with Korean red pepper paste and served on a sizzling skillet. The two-pepper kimchi jjigae stew marries fermented Korean cabbage with hunks of tofu and shards of pork in a bubbling tomato-based broth. Make sure to ILLUSTR ATIO N BY S T E P H A N I E YO U N G Q U I S T

order a bowl of the bone noodle soup for the table—a comforting combination of thick noodles and bits of ﬂank steak ﬂoating in a umami-rich marrow broth that magically soothes the burn. 7876 Mason-Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 204-3456, surakorean.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$

MEDITERRANEAN ANDY’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE In this lively joint with a burnished summer lodge interior of wood and stone, even the food is unrestrained: rough-cut chunks of charbroiled beef tenderloin, big slices of onion and green pepper turned sweet and wet in the heat, skewers of marinated and charbroiled chicken perched on rice too generous for its plate. Coowner Andy Hajjar mans his station at the end of the bar, smoking a hookah pipe that ﬁlls the air with the sweet smell of ﬂavored tobacco, while the friendly but hurried staff hustles through. 906 Nassau St., Walnut

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Hills, (513) 281-9791, andyskabob.com. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$

CAFÉ MEDITERRANEAN Chef-driven Middle Eastern cuisine leans heavily on Turkish tradition here. The baba ghanoush uses seared eggplant, which adds a pleasant smokiness to the ﬁnal product. Börek is described as a “Turkish Egg Roll,” wrapping feta and fresh and dried herbs into phyllo dough, and frying it lightly to brittle ﬂakiness. The pastry arrives atop a vivid cherry tomato marmalade, which adds a welcome dimension of barely sweet fruitiness. While there is a smooth, simple hummus on the menu, you should go for the classic sucuklu hummus, which is spiked with sujuk, a common beef sausage popular all over the Middle East. 3520 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park, (513) 871-8714. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$

FLOYD’S Sure, you can go here for the great baked kibbeh, a blend of delicately spiced ground lamb, pine nuts, and onions, stuffed inside a shell of ground lamb, lamb fat, and bulgur wheat. Or you could visit for the vegetarian moussaka with eggplant, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. But you’d be missing out on Floyd’s famous tender-crisp spit-roasted chicken and lima beans with chopped parsley, garlic, and olive oil. Not all of the specialties are the real Lebanese deal, but we’ll keep ordering them anyway. 127 Calhoun St., Clifton Heights, (513) 221-2434, ﬂoydsofcincy.com. Lunch Tues– Fri, dinner Tues–Sat. MC, V. $

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PHOENICIAN TAVERNA

No matter how much restraint you go in with, meals at Phoenician Taverna quickly become feasts. There is just too much that’s good, and everything is meant to be shared. With fresh pita bread continuously arriving from the ovens, and a table of quickly multiplying meze (hummus, falafel, muhammara), there is a warmth and depth to the cooking that envelops you. With such traditional cuisine, you may think there isn’t much left to discover beyond simply executed classics prepared according to time-tested methods. But there are always new discoveries as the ﬂavors mingle from plate to plate: the tabbouleh with the hummus, mixed with a touch of harissa, or the smoky baba ghanoush spooned onto falafel. Phoenician Taverna keeps taking these classics a little further. 7944 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 770-0027, phoeniciantaverna.com. Lunch Tues–Fri, dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

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The meze, a parade of small plates and appetizers— the refreshing yogurt dish with cucumber, mint, and garlic known as cacik, and its thicker cousin haydari, A P R I L 2 0 2 1 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 1 0 1

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with chopped walnuts, dill, and garlic—is rounded out with ﬂaky cheese or spinach boureks, falafels, soups, salads, and more, while baked casseroles or stuffed cabbage and eggplant dishes (dubbed “Ottoman specials”) augment the heavy focus on kebabs: chunks of lamb and beef on a vertical spit for the popular Doner kebab (a.k.a. Turkish gyro), peppery ground lamb for the Adana kebab, or cubed and marinated for the Shish kebab. 7305 Tyler’s Corner Dr., West Chester, (513) 847-1535, sultanscincin nati.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

MEXICAN HABAÑERO It’s easy to find a cheap burrito place around a college campus, but you’d be hard-pressed to find one as consistently good as Habañero, with its flavors of Latin America and the Caribbean wrapped up in enormous packages. Fried tilapia, apricot-glazed chicken breast, hand-rubbed spiced flank steak, shredded pork tenderloin, or cinnamon-roasted squash are just some of the ingredients for Habañero’s signature burritos. All salsas are house-made, from the smoky tomato chipotle to the sweet-sounding mango jalapeño, which is hot enough to spark spontaneous combustion. 358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, (513) 961-6800, habanerolatin.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC, DS. $

MAZUNTE Mazunte runs a culinary full court press, switching up specials to keep both regulars and staff engaged. Tamales arrive swaddled in a banana leaf, the shredded pork filling steeped in a sauce fiery with guajillo and ancho chilies yet foiled by the calming sweetness of raisins. The fried mahi-mahi tacos are finished with a citrusy red and white cabbage slaw that complements the accompanying mango-habañero salsa. With this level of authentic yet fast-paced execution, a slightly greasy pozole can be easily forgiven. Don’t miss the Mexican Coke and self-serve sangria (try the blanco), or the cans of Rhinegeist and MadTree on ice. 5207 Madison Rd., Madisonville, (513) 785-0000, mazuntetacos.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat, brunch Sun. MCC. $

MESA LOCA Sitting on a corner of Hyde Park Square, it’s easy to see that Mesa Loca has an absolute dream of a location. The pandemic forced a few changes to the seafood-centric menu, but those dishes still on the menu indicate what Mesa Loca could be. The tuna ceviche is nicely balanced: tart, with a little spicy creaminess, and a good crispy tostada. The Baja snapper goes well with a bright pile of grated radish and the mango habañero salsa, one of the highlights of the meal. With minced chunks of mango and a hint of fruity habañero heat, it is a prime example of how you can elevate Mexican food and make it worthy of a higher-than-ordinary price. One of Mesa Loca’s appealing qualities is its dramatic ﬂair: The yucca fries come stacked on the plate like a latestages game of Jenga, and their sour-and-spicy rub is quite delicious and striking against the bright starchy white of the fries. 2645 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-6372, mesa locahydepark.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

MONTOYA’S Mexican places seem to change hands in this town so often that you can’t get the same meal twice. Montoya’s is the exception. They’ve been hidden in a tiny strip mall off the

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main drag in Ft. Mitchell for years. It’s unpretentious and seemingly not interested in success, which means success has never gone to their head here. At a place where you can get Huracan Fajitas with steak, chicken, and chorizo or Tilapia Asada, the tacos are still a big item. 2507 Chelsea Dr., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 341-0707. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MC, V, DS. $

NADA The brains behind Boca deliver authentic, contemporary, high-quality Mexican fare downtown. You’ll ﬁnd a concise menu, including tacos, salads and sides, large plates, and desserts. Tacos inspired by global cuisine include the Señor Mu Shu (Modelo and ginger braised pork) and fried avocado (chipotle bean purée). The ancho-glazed pork shank with chili-roasted carrots comes with a papaya guajillo salad (order it for the table); dreamy mac-and-cheese looks harmless, but there’s just enough of a roasted poblano and jalapeño punch to have you reaching for another icy margarita. 600 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 721-6232, eatdrinknada.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$

TAQUERIA MERCADO On a Saturday night, Taqueria Mercado is a lively ﬁesta, with seemingly half of the local Hispanic community guzzling margaritas and cervezas, or carrying out sacks of burritos and carnitas tacos—pork tenderized by a long simmer, its edges frizzled and crispy. The Mercado’s strip mall interior, splashed with a large, colorful mural, is equally energetic: the bustling semi-open kitchen; a busy counter that handles a constant stream of take-out orders; a clamorous, convivial chatter in Spanish and English. Try camarones a la plancha, 12 chubby grilled shrimp tangled with grilled onions (be sure to specify if you like your onions well done). The starchiness of the rice absorbs the caramelized onion juice, offset by the crunch of lettuce, buttery slices of avocado, and the cool-hot pico de gallo. A shrimp quesadilla paired with one of their cheap and

potent margaritas is worth the drive alone. 6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairﬁeld, (513) 942-4943; 100 E. Eighth St., downtown, (513) 381-0678, tmercadocincy.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $

inhale slabs of beef (dry aged USDA prime) like they’re dining in a crack house for carnivores. The best of these is Jeff Ruby’s Jewel, nearly a pound-and-a-half of bone-in rib eye. This is steak tailor-made for movers and shakers. 700 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 784-1200, jeffruby.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DC. $$$$

STEAKS LOSANTI A bit more upscale than its sister restaurant, Crown Republic Gastropub, Losanti is also more conservative in its offerings. Service is friendly and informal, and though the meal feels like a special occasion, prices and atmosphere are right for, say, a date, rather than a wedding anniversary. The ﬁlet mignon, rib eye, and New York strip are cut to order for each table (there are a few available weights for each). The steaks themselves are totally irreproachable, perfectly seasoned, cooked to precisely the right point. Losanti even makes the steakhose sides a little special. Sweet and smoky caramelized onions are folded into the mashed potatoes, a nice dusting of truffles wakes up the mac and cheese, and the sweet corn—yes, totally out of season, but still good—is at least freshly cut off the cob and recalls elote with lime and chile powder. 1401 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 246-4213,

TONY’S He is a captivating presence, Tony Ricci. Best known for his 30 years in ﬁne dining—including the Jeff Ruby empire while managing the venerable Precinct—Ricci has built a life in the hospitality industry. Much of Tony’s menu is right out of a steakhouse playbook: jumbo shrimp and king crab legs from the raw bar; Caprese, Greek, and Caesar salads; sides of creamed spinach, mac-and-cheese, asparagus, and sautéed mushrooms; toppings of roasted garlic or Gorgonzola butters to accompany your center cut of ﬁlet mignon. There are boutique touches, though, that make it stand out—a garlic herb aioli with the calamari, steak tartare torch-kissed and topped with a poached egg, a superb rack of lamb rubbed with aromatic sumac and served with mint pesto. 12110 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Township, (513) 677-8669, tonysofcincinnati.com. Dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$$$

THAI

losantiotr.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$

JEFF RUBY’S Filled most nights with local scenesters and power brokers (and those who think they are), everything in this urban steakhouse is generous—from the portions to the expert service. White-jacketed waiters with ﬂoor-length aprons deliver two-ﬁsted martinis and stacks of king crab legs, or mounds of greens dressed in thin vinaigrettes or thick, creamy emulsions. An occasional salmon or sea bass appears, and there’s a small but decent assortment of land fare. But most customers, even the willowy model types,

GREEN PAPAYA Inside this simple dining room, replete with soothing browns and greens and handsome, dark wood furniture, it takes time to sort through the many curries and chef’s specialties, not to mention the wide variety of sushi on the something-for-everyone menu. Have the staff—friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable—help you. When the food arrives, you’ll need only a deep inhale to know you made

the right choice. The Green Papaya sushi rolls are as delicious as they look, with a manic swirl of spicy mayo and bits of crabstick and crispy tempura batter scattered atop the spicy tuna, mango, cream cheese, and shrimp tempura sushi—all rolled in a vivid green soybean wrap. 2942 Wasson Rd., Oakley, (513) 731-0107, greenpapayacincinnati. com. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$

THAI NAMTIP Classic Thai comfort food on the west side from chef/owner Tussanee Leach, who grew up with galangal on her tongue and sriracha sauce in her veins. Her curries reign: pale yellow sweetened with coconut milk and poured over tender chicken breast and chunks of boiled pineapple; red curry the color of new brick, tasting of earth at first bite, then the sharply verdant Thai basil leaves, followed by a distant heat. Tom Kha Gai soup defines the complex interplay of flavors in Thai food: astringent lemongrass gives way to pepper, then Makrut lime, shot through with the gingery, herbaceous galangal, all yielding to the taunting sweetness of coconut. Even the simple skewers of chicken satay with Thai peanut sauce are rough and honest, dulcified by honey and dirtied up by a smoky grill. 5461 North Bend Rd., Monfort Heights, (513) 481-3360, thainamtip.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MC, V. $

CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, (ISSN 0746-8 210), April 2021, Volume 54, Number 7. Published monthly ($14.95 for 12 issues annually) at P.O. Box 14487, Cincinnati, OH 45250. (513) 421-4300. Copyright © 2021 by Cincinnati Magazine LLC, a subsidiary of Hour Media Group, 5750 New King Dr, Ste 100, Troy, MI 48098. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without permission. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, and artwork should be accompanied by SASE for return. The magazine cannot be held responsible for loss. For subscription orders, address changes or renewals, write to CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071, or call 1-866-660-6247. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send forms 3579 to CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071. If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year.

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Tradition Rings INSIDE THE 100-FOOT-TALL MARY M. EMERY MEMORIAL CARILLON IN DOGWOOD PARK,

Richard Watson sits at a wooden keyboard. Dong! Watson depresses the key with a karate chop–like force, producing a loud musical tone from one of the tower’s 49 bells that serenade the Mariemont community. The tower, and the powerful music produced inside, are village icons. “You set your life to those bells, and you don’t even realize that you’re doing it,” says Mary Beth York, Mariemont Preservation Foundation trustee. In 1929, the “singing tower” was completed to memorialize Mariemont’s founder, Mary M. Emery. Her sister, Isabella F. Hopkins, commissioned the tower and its initial 23 bells with the hope of “inculcating patriotism” in “the youth of Mariemont.” More than 90 years later, village members can still hear the carillonneur play the bells every Sunday and on national holidays, specifically Lindbergh’s Day, per Hopkins’s special request. A computer also plays Westminster Chimes and Vesper Hymns on a daily basis; despite this automated change, Watson continues trekking up several staircases to the keyboard chamber every Sunday, fulfilling a time-honored Mariemont tradition. — B E B E H O D G E S 1 0 4 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M A P R I L 2 0 2 1

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