Midpoint Music Festival

I have had mixed feelings about the local phenomenon of Midpoint Music Festival, but they really redeemed themselves for me this year with their Midpoint Midway and CAC-sponsored acoustic stage.

For folks like me who live in the neighborhood, it was a great way to get out of the house and enjoy the event without spending money on a ticket. With two kids at home, the ticket would have been mostly wasted. And, considering the way MPMF takes over our neighborhood for a weekend, it was nice to have this early evening, all-ages, free part of the event. It definitely made up for the noise and parking issues that weekend!

We made it down to the Midway three nights in a row. We listened to some acoustic music, watched the skateboarders, and ate some fabulous soft pretzels. The weather was great and my son is still asking me if he can go "see some music" again tonight.

Thanks, Midpoint. Maybe next year I'll buy a ticket.

Do This: Blue Manatee kids' programming

My plan today, due to the warmer weather, was a walk to the downtown branch of the library for the weekly storytime. But, because I had another side-trip to make, we decided to try something new and get out of downtown.

When my son was young, before he was fully-mobile, we drove out to the Blue Manatee Bookstore in Oakley every so often so I could grab a cup of coffee with a friend and our kids could peek through some books. Sometimes we'd make it a day trip and stop in to The Spotted Goose and King Arthur's Court Toys.

I haven't been to the bookstore for the past six months or so but, early this morning, I checked the schedule and registered my son for the art class at 10am.

The class cost me $5, lasted a half hour, and we came home with two art projects. Izzy loved his first official painting experience, and it was fun to watch him alongside his peers. The class was for ages 2-4, with eight kids total.

For Cincinnati parents, I would highly recommend a trip to the Blue Manatee, either to browse, catch a storytime, or take a scheduled class. (I believe they host private parties, as well, which I'm going to keep in mind for my mid-winter birthday boy.) Check out the website and find a time to stop in. Heck, you can spend the whole day in Oakley--books, toys, boutique goods, and even a trip to a good ol' soda and ice cream shop!

Enjoy your trip!

Shopping Downtown

Some folks think that "there is no place to shop downtown."

I'll admit that our city does not have the best example of a downtown shopping district--at least not anymore. But at one point, I've been told, people flocked to the Central Business District to do their shopping. What happened? (Maybe someone who knows more about the history of downtown could fill me in?)

This is a case of the "chicken or the egg."
Did the shopping district die because residents stopped coming downtown to shop, or did residents stop coming downtown because the shopping district died? Either way, I believe that a vibrant shopping district is directly related to a thriving residential presence in downtown.

Cincinnati is very decentralized. It may be due to the large hills or due to intentional urban planning but, either way, residency in Cincinnati centers around neighborhoods rather than downtown. But, even in our "best" neighborhoods, there are few truly thriving shopping districts. Most everyone in Cincinnati who needs to buy the basics--underwear, toilet paper, duct tape--must either get on a bus or get in a car to find the nearest place to buy them. And even in areas where stores are nearby, they are not designed for pedestrians; most of America's new, expensive shopping districts are designed for shoppers traveling by car via the highway, not by foot via the sidewalk.



In the past two years, I've re-adjusted my habits of shopping to reflect a pedestrian life. And, contrary to popular belief, it appears that downtown residents have plenty of places to shop.

Just a sampling of the stores (that I frequent) within a 15-minute walk of my home:

Macy's
TJ Maxx
CVS
Kroger
Findlay Market
Avril & Bleh Market
Park + Vine
Mica 12/V

If I am smart about my shopping, I can go days or weeks without needing to drive to nearby shopping center. Believe me, I love a trip to Target just as much as the next mom and I still stop in at large grocery stores for the occasional hard-to-find item. But, it's awesome to see my trips out of downtown become less and less frequent.

As far as prices are concerned, the extra money I may spend by purchasing what's available nearby rather than comparing prices is saving me a ton of gas and car maintenance costs. No more chasing cheap prices around town.

At this point, I honestly can't understand how some people find car rides, parking spots, and 10,000 sq ft stores to be more practical than a five-minute walk to a smaller store. Sure, I can't do a month's worth of grocery shopping at once (that is, until I buy one of those fancy bike trailers I've been eying...), but shopping in the neighborhood keeps me on my feet and out where I can meet my neighbors and see all of the exciting things that are happening in our city. I love how this adjustment in my shopping habits has changed my perspective on my neighborhood.

I know that it won't always be so easy, depending on how many children we end up with. And I know that I won't be so excited to run errands on foot when there is snow on the ground. But, for now, the pedestrian life is grand. (And I'll just need to buy a good pair of snow boots.)




As a sidenote:

In my "perfect Cincinnati," where our center city trumps the suburbs as a shopping destination, the Tower Place Mall (or the new Banks development) would be developed to include a few more large clothing and shoe stores (a la Gap or DSW), Patagonia would open up shop, there would be an Apple store, Joseph Beth would re-locate to the neighborhood, an REI would move into town, and a small-ish grocer like Fresh Market or Trader Joe's would settle in, too.

Heck, then I'd never have to leave downtown.

What would your "perfect Cincinnati" include?

Things to Love: Bento for a Better Lunch!

I've always been a fan of eating smaller portions of many things as a single meal, rather than the one-burrito-to-hold-it-all meal philosophy. So, it's only natural that I often prepare my son's meals that way. A normal child's lunch in the McEwan household: A teeny sandwich, a few small pieces of cheese, a handful of grapes, shredded carrots (because his teeth are not quite ready for chomping on full bites yet), a couple pretzel sticks, and sometimes a cookie (though my son, funny enough, usually skips on the sweets).

Enter: Bento. (or Obento--choose your poison)

photo courtesy My Life as a Gaijin blog

In short, Bento is the artful presentation of a meal, but if you're familiar with the concept you know that it isn't quite that simple. I have been familiar with Bento since the summer I spent in Guam a million years back and saw the Japanese culinary phenomenon firsthand. I didn't really understand the breadth of the phenomenon until much later, when I discovered the obsessive side of Bento. (And, man, people take their Bento very seriously, collecting oodles and globs of Bento supplies, entering contests for the best Bento, and I can only imagine having serious anxiety over your average "sack lunch" meals.)

All obsessions aside, Bento is awesome for many reasons:

1. It is potentially waste-free. Not only will parents save on plastic baggies and paper lunch bags by purchasing reusable bento boxes, but the meal itself is free of wrapping and often made from scratch. (i.e. serious Bento parents don't toss a single-serving twix bar in the lunch for good measure)

2. It is a clever way to encourage hearty and healthy meals. So the philosophy goes: when food looks fun, kids are more likely to eat it. Even if a parent doesn't go all-out Bento crazy and make a freaking aquarium for their child's school lunch, some simple Bento tricks can turn a healthy meal into something colorful and inviting. ("Eat me," basically.)

3. It takes less time to eat. Rather than navigating a half dozen ziploc bags during their 15 minutes of lunch, your children can open their box, survey the food in one take, and eat it all up. As our local paper recently pointed out, kids are being given less and less time to eat their meals at school, which leads to lots of waste and (I would assume) a lot of kids skipping to dessert so they don't have to mess with their 1/2lb peanut butter and jelly sandwich that's been wrapped in a yard of tin foil.

4. It's a way to expend some creative energy while loving your family. If you're anything like me, you worry that parenthood has stripped you of your pazazz. I know, I know, a few attractive Bento lunches won't jump start my music career, but they could remind me that I still have that creativity lurking inside me. And, they will remind my children that I love them at the same time. Seriously, who wouldn't feel like a million bucks when they opened their lunch to find this:

photo courtesy O'Bento Lunch 4 Kidz blog

If you're interested in adapting a little bit of the Bento philosophy into feeding your family, you can find some tips, tricks, and advice at the following links.

Another Lunch
Lunch in a Box
Just Bento

Locally, you can purchase some basic Bento boxes (like Laptop Lunches) at local favorite Park + Vine. On my next trip to the market, I'll take a closer look at Saigon Market to see what they've got in stock, too. And I'd bet that Jungle Jim's has some interesting Bento supplies, though I haven't been up there in ages...

Kids Not Welcome

Every time a new restaurant/diner opens downtown, and a friend tells me of their recent visit there, I ask a simple question: Did you see any kids or highchairs?


Most people, obviously, don't look for a highchair when they walk into a new place. But, from a parent's perspective, the absence of this simple object says one thing to me: Your kids are not welcome here.

I can understand a restaurant owner's fear of becoming a *gasp* "Family Restaurant," and I can understand that a toddler is not their primary clientele. But, I also know that there a very large number of young adults with young children who would love to be able to support these local businesses, but the businesses seem to not want their support.

Yes, I can still sneak in with my son and let him sit on my lap while we both try to eat. And, yes, a booster seat is a step in the right direction. But, a young toddler is much more likely to sit still if seated in a high chair. My son is very well behaved (and we know when our son is not behaving and it's time to leave). Heck, these business owners might actually like having us around!

So,

Dear Business Owners:

I support local business and I'd love to support yours. But, until you are willing to accommodate my small and well-behaved family, you'll be relegated to my "date night" restaurant list. This list is large and not often consulted for dinner plans. Maybe we'll see you (and you'll see our money) in a few years?

Sincerely,
Your neighbor.

(And don't even get me started on coffee shops and gas station bathrooms without diaper changing stations... ugh!)

Read This: The Urbivore

I've discovered a new blog--The Urbivore's Dilemma.

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Prediger at Urbivore's Dilemma.

I was turned on to it by the folks over at GOOD. (Check them out if you're not already familiar.) It chronicles a New Yorker's experience of switching from a diet consisting of mostly take-out to one of primarily local produce from her new CSA share.

Since this is my first year as a CSA shareholder (I've bought into an Urban Farm Project), I immediately understood the dilemma. The challenge of a CSA is not only adjusting to a vegetable-based diet, but of learning to cook with whatever food is fresh, in-season, and available. The first few weeks of my CSA were hard to navigate--lots of lettuce and greens, beets, and turnips. (I froze a lot of the root vegetables, hoping to figure out what to do with them at a later time.) But the past few weeks have been much easier--carrots, cucumbers, zucchini, green beans, etc. It's been a relief to use the vegetables in meals I would normally cook, but still gives me a little room to experiment. The familiarity of the more recent produce makes my investment seem more reasonable.

I'm excited to follow along with the Urbivore's experiment in changing her diet and maybe get some good ideas for my own local produce experiment. Does anyone else want to share their experience of learning to eat local, in-season produce? Recipes? Funny recipe failures?

Summer in the City

Between buying a house, packing up our apartment, wrapping up the busy season at work, my husband beginning his busy season at work, and taking care of my mother in-law after spine surgery, blogging hasn't been a priority in the McEwan house.

But.

I wanted to take at least a moment to share my favorite things about summers in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Tall Stacks Festival-
Tall Stacks is supposed to happen every three or four years, but hasn't happened since 2006 and can't find any information about when we can expect the next festival. The festival features national, regional, and local music acts, loads of expressions of Ohio river culture, and appearances by dozens of fabulous riverboats. Highlights from 2006: Heartless Bastards, Wilco, Medeski Martin & Wood, Over the Rhine, Blind Boys of Alabama, and Rosanne Cash. I sure hope they schedule another one soon... (Does anyone know any insider information about this?)

Fountain Square-
Cincinnati really does it up on the Square during the summer. There are public events scheduled nearly around the clock, with everything from family-friendly movie nights to wine tastings. You can expect live music nearly every night of the week (Friday nights courtesy of Midpoint Music Festival) and some days during the lunch hour (I'll be playing an Acoustic Thursday on August 26th). It's nice to know that I can walk down to Fountain Square on any given day and find tons of people milling around. The energy is infectious.

Kayaking on the Little Miami-
Although I haven't been since my son was born, taking a day-long kayak trip down the river is easily one of my top five favorite summer activities. I don't have my own boat, but I have rented multiple times from Morgan's Canoe Livery and have always been pleased (though the price has increased quite a bit since my first time five years ago). Does anyone else have a favorite Livery?

Backpacking at the Red River Gorge-
Confession: I've never been to the Gorge in the Summer, but I'm sure it's just as fantastic as it's been in the Spring. If you're looking for a nice extended weekend backpacking trip within a few hour drive, it can't be beat. And if backcountry camping is not your bag, you can find rental cabins with basic amentities to soften the wilderness experience. Try Red River Gorgeous on for size.

Local State Parks-
Growing up in Chicago, with the beautiful Lake Michigan in the city and (seemingly) millions of fresh water lakes within driving distance, lake culture is in my blood. Since I can't drive the 6 hours to Michigan where my family has a small summer cottage, it's nice to have other lakes nearby. The only one I've spent a decent amount of time at is at Caesar Creek State Park, where the beach is clean and swimming-friendly, if a bit cold. A lot of my friends frequent East Fork State Park, as well. (There was a national rowing regatta held there last weekend. How cool is that?)

The Public Library-
I know that the library is not a particularly summer activity, but hot summers do give me a new appreciation for the downtown library's convenient, walkable location and it's air conditioned comfort. It's the perfect place to pop-in during a hot walk downtown, use the bathroom, change a diaper, and see what's new on the shelves. They just held their summer Friends of the Library book sale, which was awesome. (Sorry if you missed it!)

Biking to work-
I'll admit it--I'm a fair weather bicyclist. But, since I live a mile from my office, I have absolutely no excuse to drive to work unless necessary. Since the onset of Spring, I've walked or biked to work about 80% of the time and it's proven to be a great decision. Not only do I get some exercise, but I get to see bits and pieces of downtown in a way I wouldn't if I was driving. And, I actually save a bit of time when I ride my bike since I don't have to worry about finding free parking near City Hall. (Parking tickets suck.) I hope I can continue this into the Fall (and Winter?).

gratisfest-
Gratisfest is like that favorite coffeeshop that you love too much to keep secret, but way too much to tell everyone about, lest it become everyone else's favorite coffeeshop and, suddenly, you can't find an open table. It's a small, mostly private (though not invite-only) music and arts festival on a family farm in SE Indiana. It's super family-friendly, but also super grown-up (which is awfully hard to find), with good food, good music, communal art projects, camping, beer, and fresh air. Suffice to say, when the patron saint of Gratisfest birthed the event a few years ago, he brought something amazing to life and I've been honored to be included in the fun the past few years. It's the perfect way to end the summer.


What about you?
What are your favorite things about Summer in Cincinnati?

Urban Revitalization

A few weeks ago, I represented my organization by sitting on a panel for a Give Back Cincinnati "Sounding Session." The topic was urban revitalization. I was supposed to be representing the nonprofit perspective on what it takes to revitalize a community, what stands in the way, and how an individual can help the cause in their community. I may have had a few things to say as a "professional," but I actually walked away with more personal reflection than anything else. In fact, I've been thinking about the topic ever since.

A few thoughts on the issue:

- One of the biggest deterrents to urban revitalization is both the transient nature of many would-be urban dwellers and a city's neglect of amenities that would encourage long-term commitment from residents. Because of the rapid life changes that many residents will go through (college graduation, first jobs, marriage, first child, third child, retirement, etc.), they feel the need to move to a different neighborhood every five years to accommodate those changes. Whether it is the sheer absence of single-family residences, a lack of greenspace and natural areas, parking issues, or safety concerns, most families would not consider living in the same location where they rented their first college apartment. And most residents are simply unwilling to commit to staying put in a community where they are not certain they will be comfortable in 25 years. I believe that the issue here is as much imagined as it is realistic, which leads me to my next point...

- Perceived issues are sometimes more a deterrent than real issues. For example, people may believe it's impractical to live in downtown Cincinnati because "there is no place to buy groceries," but they are wrong in their assumption. And even if they were correct, it would be no more difficult to drive from their downtown home to the nearest large grocery store than it would be for them to drive from their Mason home to the nearest grocery store. In fact, it might be nearer to them and take less time. Another example is the popular notion of how "terrible" the schools are. Not only is this an improper assumption, but it is irrelevant given that in Cincinnati parents can send their children to the public school of their choice, anywhere in the city. All it takes is some ingenuity and effort on the part of the parents and their children can have the same quality education as a child who lives next door to Fairview German School or Walnut Hills High School. (And don't even get me started on the ridiculous notion that once a couple decides to have a child, it is time for them to move to a new subdivision on the outskirts of town, where all the families live. UGH!)

- Poor housing and real estate stock is a serious deterrent to revitalization. There is often a shortage of single-family homes in urban areas and, even where there are homes, parking is an issue. In addition, most parents want a backyard for their children and would even settle for a small, fenced courtyard if given the option. But, concrete reigns supreme instead. In many lower-income areas, beautiful single-family residences have been chopped into poorly-maintained and tastelessly-renovated multi-family buildings (Cincinnati's Avondale neighborhood is a prime example of this). In addition, many vacant buildings cannot be developed because they are owned by absentee landlords who are either slumlords or speculators.

- Quality and diversity of commerce is important for the revitalization of a community. One common theme that I heard at the Sounding Session was that residents and visitors want to see and support businesses that can only be found there, in that community. Sometimes we call these "Mom and Pop" businesses and they are sometimes the best thing drawing people and money to an area. I will add to this, though, that the mere presence of these businesses is not enough. Residents must continue to support them financially on a regular basis. (See the 3/50 Project website for more a comprehensive writing on this issue.)

- No one person, family, or business can revitalize a community alone. In order for a community to experience real renewal, it must be a cooperative task between neighbors, friends, and organizations. In my exercises in community organizing for work, I have seen that the issue of cooperation (or lack-there-off) can really make or break a community. First, those in control of community resources (money, real estate, connections, etc.) must consider the shared vision of those in the entire community or either watch their single vision die or become an unwelcome guest. Now, add to this every person's need for deep and authentic relationships. This makes it simply impossible for one entity to accomplish anything great alone, unless they have the support of those around them. I have all sorts of crazy ideas related to this issue, but I won't go into it now.


All in all, this entire issue of "revitalization" is huge and impossible to conquer in one conversation or one blog post. In fact, most people who dedicate their lives to seeing their community revitalized may not witness the fruits of their effort in their lifetime. This is, indeed, big work. And this issue quickly becomes a battle of ideologies, ethics, culture, and politics, which so often ends the conversation entirely.

Suffice to say this (for now):

I have committed myself to never simply residing in my community.
If I am not somehow benefiting it--creating something, bringing something new to life (or bringing something dead back to life), making it safer or stronger, or more beautiful, then I am a waste of space and have surrendered my rights as a resident of the community.



So, I suppose this is where the real conversation begins:

What are you doing to bring your community to life?

Do This: Shop local for Christmas gifts!

Because we all know that local is always better, I'd like to share my favorite places in Cincinnati for purchasing gifts:

(in no particular order)

Park + Vine- Cincinnati's "green" general store. Purchase locally handmade and recycled goods, eco-friendly baby/kids' stuff, pure and natural homegoods and toiletries, locally-themed shirts and bags. You'll find rainbarrels and clothes drying racks a-plenty and the word on the street is that the whole store is vegan.

Ten Thousand Villages- You'll find fairly-traded handmade goods from artisans around the world. Though it's not a locally-based organization, one of their retail shops is in O'Bryonville. My favorite item? The Christmas decorations and toys!

The Ohio Bookstore- With five floors of used books, you can find something for every book lover. (Check out the collections in the glass display cases on the street-level floor!) I've been meaning to have a book or two of my husband's re-bound in their bookbinding shop...

Shake-It Records- I don't go to Shake-It for the music; I go for the (seemingly) endless shelves of designer toys, magazines and 'zines, books, graphic novels & comics, and other assorted "won't find anywhere else in town" items. Wind-up sushi--need I say more?

The Blue Manatee- The kind of bookstore that makes me want to be a kid again...

Market Wines at Findlay Market- Nothing goes better with a holiday meal catered by the Market than a fancy-pants bottle of wine. The folks at Market Wines will help find the perfect bottle for your dinner party or for a hostess gift. It's so nice to talk to people that know a thing or two about what they're selling!

Mica 12/V- Mica never fails to deliver the perfect gift for my mother--the woman who has everything: something shiny, well-made, distinct, and original. I usually have to keep it small (the place isn't cheap), but I can always find something great in my price range. (To top it off, they carry various pieces by local artists Visualingual, who probably deserved a spot of their own on my "favorites" list.)

Duck Creek Antique Mall- I bought most of my bridesmaids' gifts at Duck Creek, and intend to make it there sometime in the next few days for last-minute Christmas shopping. My favorite finds? Mid-Century Modern furniture, vintage children's toys, and fancy ladies' pocket mirrors.

So, if you're like me and just realized that Christmas is *gasp* less than a week away and you've neglected to start your Christmas shopping, skip the corporate chains and keep it local.

Does your sister really need another sweater from the GAP?
Seriously.