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cincy.com says...

Nov 24, 2009

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Cincinnati Unchained: Clifton Photos 11-21-09

More photos from Saturday the 21st, enjoying the beautiful weather and the sights, sounds and scents along Ludlow in Clifton.

Pictures include:

Toko Baru & Toko Kids: Gifts, clothing, unique art, incense, jewelry and more. A long time favorite for art, cards and refreshing discoveries.
Comey & Shepherd Real Estate Office in that interesting opening between the Toko shops. Note how the shops are set right in front of the tall brick house. I don't think we'd ever fully noticed that before.
Aquarius Star - The new cafe, shop and spiritual center on Ludlow - one of the places at which we spent a larger part of our long, pleasant afternoon, with music, coffee, tea, organic food, art, large space for meetings & conversations, classes, books, jewelry and much more. A gorgeous and mindfully designed space.
Sitwell's Cafe - Clifton's famous and beloved "commons" cafe, where people have gathered for many years. Food, coffee, causes and conversation in a comfortable, diverse setting with a fine natural mix of bohemian drift, college town buzz and the collections of age and story.
The Esquire theater - One of a very few and favorite, classic movie houses in Cincinnati and a vital anchor of the street and sidewalk traffic in this neighborhood.
Adrian Durban Florist - One of the oldest and classiest area florists, and a beautiful landmark in the strip.
Skyline Chili - probably the most photographed Skyline location of all (had a bite there before seeing "Precious" at the Esquire).
The movie Poster for Precious, by the way, is visually very different from most movie posters. The movie itself is definitely one to see, with sometimes disturbingly real and powerful acting. Both hard and sweet to watch. Moving. Worth watching and talking about afterwards.
Kilimanjaro African Heritage shop. This was just my second visit to this small and abundantly stocked store: offering carvings, clothing, African art, music and much more.

Kilimanjaro's proprietor, Titus M. Nzioki, is a wood carver, himself. He returns to Kenya each year and returns with beautiful items of various wood carving techniques, styles and traditions.

Photos below are a mix of the above places along Ludlow as we walked that afternoon, including an iPhone shot of that unique movie poster for Precious.

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cincy.com says...

Nov 23, 2009

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Cincinnati Unchained: Park + Vine Photos 11-21-09

Janie and I spent some time at Park + Vine, Downtown Cincinnati's Green General Store, this Saturday, as part of the fun of getting out and being with other small and local businesses for Cincinnati Unchained day.

Dan Korman operates one of the most interesting and thoughtfully presented retail shops in the region. On one of the post cards that advertise Park + Vine it's called a Green General Store.

Green it is, with natural, recycled, organic and vegan products ranging from foods to apothecary to books, utensils, bags and more.

General it is, too, though, and that's something we don't see much, anywhere anymore.

Customers of Park + Vine come in to buy canning equipment, art, clothing, bicycle gear, non-toxic paints and other home improvement goodies, infant & child products, natural remedies, soaps, lotions, supplements, cold food & drinks, boxed food, snacks, shoes, socks, stationery, cook books and gifts of many kinds.

Another outstanding offering of Park + Vine is a selection of almost every kind of Sigg / Klean Kanteen / etc. water bottle a person could ever want (and a variety of caps, too).

Oh, and like any General Store worth its neighborhood salt, it supports and sponsors many other local organizations and has the kind of local brochures, cards, newsletters and other materials available that we'd expect from store central to its community. Park + Vine has a fairly large vendor list, as well, maintaining relationships with many suppliers and manufacturers, instead of taking the easier but less engaged way of contracting with a very small number of wholesalers for the range of desired products.

It's a place that feels loved and appreciated by the people who come through the door and that's a bright and different feeling in shopping today.

We hung out a while, bought some stuff, took some pictures and had a fine time of it.

Park + Vine

1109 Vine Street Cincinnati Ohio 45202
Store hours: 11-7 Monday-Friday • 10-7 Saturday • 11-5 Sunday
Phone: 513-721-7275 www.parkandvine.com

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randyweeks says...

Nov 21, 2009

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Aquarius Star and Om Cafe on Cincinnati Unchained Day

It's a beautiful day and a fine afternoon to visit, shop and have a coffee with a friend at some of Cincy's fine local businesses.

Jane and I stopped in a while at Park & Vine, downtown and now we're at Aquarius Star & Om Cafe in Clifton. Lydia Stec and husband Jeff opened the new Aquarius Star and the cafe in the former Spiral Light building on Ludlow in October. They've created a beautiful, inviting space with a comfortable vibe. Come say hello. Have a bite. Check out the art, jewelry, coffee and other offerings. The Star is a wonderful addition to one of the best blocks of local shops, cafes and eateries in the Midwest.

Click here to download:

Aquarius_Star_and_Om_Cafe_on_C.zip (894 KB)

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cincy.com says...

Nov 21, 2009

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Aquarius Star and Om Cafe on Cincinnati Unchained Day

It's a beautiful day and a fine afternoon to visit, shop and have a coffee with a friend at some of Cincy's fine local businesses.

Jane and I stopped in a while at Park & Vine, downtown and now we're at Aquarius Star & Om Cafe in Clifton. Lydia Stec and husband Jeff opened the new Aquarius Star and the cafe in the former Spiral Light building on Ludlow in October. They've created a beautiful, inviting space with a comfortable vibe. Come say hello. Have a bite. Check out the art, jewelry, coffee and other offerings. Aquarius Star is a wonderful addition to one of the best blocks of local shops, cafes and eateries in the Midwest.

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edwinreal says...

Nov 18, 2009

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Bonnie Jean's - Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Today's Groupon is Bonnie Jean's! You get a $30 meal for $15...you better believe that I got my Groupon!

Check out this super sick menu: http://www.bonniejeansoulfood.com/index.html

RED VELVET CAKE:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 ounces red food coloring

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

FOR THE FROSTING:

One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, softened

One 1-pound box confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat over to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans.

2. In a large bowl sift, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together

3. In a large bowl, cream the sugar with the butter. Beat in the eggs one at a time

4. Add flour mixture with the buttermilk. Beat in the food coloring and vinegar, then add the vanilla. Spread the batter evenly in the pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

5. Cream the cream cheese and butter. Beat in confectioners sugar until fluffy add vanilla and stir in chopped pecans.

Yummm....Yummmm Good

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edwinreal says...

Nov 17, 2009

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Pizzeria Luigi - Golden Hill

Photoshoot for Pizzeria Luigi. Some of these will be in Guy Fieri's
new book, out in December.

Pizzeria Luigi
1137 25th Street
San Diego, CA 92102

www.pizzerialuigi.com

Check out the just posted Luigi on the Mikey Show clip under the press section.

Click here to download:

Pizzeria_Luigi_-_Golden_Hill.zip (2899 KB)

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edwinreal says...

Nov 16, 2009

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Being a Good San Diegan List 11/9 - 11/15

I am Supporting Locally Owned Businesses...

Here are the small businesses and restaurants that I went to this week:

Stout Public House - LoBro

Wee Care - Clairemont

The Local - LoBro

Pappalecco - Little Italy

Eno - Coronado

Thai Island - Financial District

Neighborhood Ale House - East Village

The Hub Market & Deli - LoBro

Bare Back Grill - LoBro

Blind Lady Ale House - Normal Heights

Pizzeria Luigi - North Park

Venissimo Cheese - Mission Hills

Uptown Cleaners - Hillcrest

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edwinreal says...

Nov 15, 2009

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Taleggio Cheese Pizza & A Story

One of my buddies is Luigi of Pizzeria Luigi. As such, I get random
phone calls from him. This happened as I was running errands on
Saturday night.

I just got done picking up my dry cleaning at Uptown Cleaners and
hitting up the Trader Joe's in that shopping center in Hillcrest.

While perusing the cheese selection at TJ, I thought to myself, "Self,
I ought to just go to Venissimo." I had a great idea!

So I started driving towards Mission Hills. My phone starts vibrating
and lighting up and beeping. It's Luigi!

L - What up dude?
M - Nothin'...just picking up some cheese at Venissimo.
L - I am at the North Park store, and I am almost off. We should have
that beer.
M - I got groceries, frozen stuff even. It better just be one beer, though.
L - OK. I will be here.

I go in to Venissimo (724 W Washington), talk to the girls that are
working, getting advice on good cheese. See Gina, the Cheese Goddess
herself! Talk to her about cheese plate ideas, catch up, etc.

So I leave there with Teleggio from Lombardy, Italy; Drunken Goat from
Asturias, Spain; Formager d'Affinois - a double cream from France; and
Purple Haze from Cypress Grove, CA.

A fine selection, I must say! Plenty good for the cheese platter that
I will server later (http://tinyurl.com/ygh77sw).

So I drive towards Pizzeria Luigi - North Park (2121 El Cajon Blvd),
and luck out that there is a spot right in front...does it matter that
it is in a red zone? It Saturday after 6:30 pm...who give a F**K,
right?

I see Luigi behind the counter, slinging pies in the back. And I know
I am in for a seriously delicious slice or two right now. The pizza
is bomb ass when that man is in the kitchen.

Other people, possibly sensing this, start flocking to the pizzeria.
There are two dozen people in the place, sitting outside, watching
soccer, drinking beer and letting out whimpers of satisfaction in
between bites.

I am f**king excited to eat this pizza. I was supposed to eat at
home! But you know what...this is special.

I peer in the kitchen and say, "What up, Mate?" Luigi smiles as he is
coordinating orders with the kitchen staff. The kitchen is humming
and pies are going in boxes, and going into the case. There is pizza
everywhere, and smiling faces at every table.

Saturday night! YES! This is gonna be good, indeed.

"So Luigi, I went to Venissimo for some cheese. I got an Italian
one.", tossing him the neatly wrapped wedge. "It's for you, so you
don't miss home too much."

"Taleggio! Good choice.", he says. "You want me to make you a pizza with it?"

I nodded, as I picked my jaw up off the floor.

So he gets into a whirlwind, as he starts picking ingredients for this
custom pie. He picks up some onions, and some mushrooms, slices of
pepperoni. He gets a ball of dough and starts kneeding it. Tossing
it up in the air, the dough joyously defies gravity. He makes a
doughy round canvas in which to paint our pizza.

The red tomato sauce is evenly, and generously spread to the outer
reaches of the canvas crust. He spreads out the chosen ingredients.
He places that pie, with no cheese, right into the oven.

I must of given off a perplexed look, because he eases my concern by
stating "If we put the cheese on too early, it will melt and burn.
Taleggio melts differently, so we gotta make it different."

After what seems like a few mintues, the pizza comes out of the oven,
par-baked. He brings it back to his work surface where he applies
strips of the sliced Teleggio. Back in the oven it goes, for what
would be apparently the melting phase.

I anxiously get a Cherry Coke and a couple of napkins and place myself
by the TV to catch the end of the MLS Eastern Conference Championship
match and this surprise pizza.

Moments later, Luigi comes over with the pie, gloriously baked, and
delicious smelling.

My eyes grew big, my pulse raced, my mouth salivates thinking about
what was in front of me. Yummy.

I took one bite, looked at Luigi, and thought, "Thanks for making my
day buddy!". I wanted to vocalize it, but my mouth was full of this
incredible pizza. And I think by the look of pure bliss in my eyes,
he knew that he did great and he made me a very happy dude.

That was the way I started my Saturday night...