Cincinnati’s Residence Inn… A spectacular downtown property

January 1, 2015 By

hotelofthemonth-1-2015Cincinnati’s downtown Residence Inn positions itself in first place among all other Residence Inns in the Marriott chain. There are 652 of them, and being #1 is quite an accomplishment. Just in case the number-one ranking inside the Marriott chain might not be enough….Cincinnati’s downtown Residence Inn was ranked by Trip Advisor at number 19 in customer satisfaction among 85,000 lodging properties nationwide in 2013.

“We take very good care of our guests, and we try to make absolutely sure that no guest ever leaves this hotel feeling less than fully satisfied,” said Jason Druso, general manager. “We want everyone who stays with us to feel at home and know that we care about their comfort and satisfaction.”

Druso states that the hotel has many outstanding amenities. For one thing, this Residence Inn is a downtown property, but on the fringe of the hustle and bustle of the downtown grid. The entrance overlooks a park and walking/jogging trails are nearby. Few lodging properties anywhere have that going for them, much less a city-based one.
Another advantage is that the property is a suite hotel in Cincinnati’s downtown, so many of the hotel’s guests are longer stay. There’s a high concentration of business guests staying at the property, many of whom are repeat customers. Suites are 30% larger than most suite hotels in the area, and feature kitchens. Vacationers and sports fans also make up a sizeable portion of the guest list at this Residence Inn, because of it’s convenience to Great American Ballpark, US Bank arena, the Taft Museum of Art, OTR, and to the Banks entertainment area of the city.

The Residence Inn Downtown also has an expanded restaurant service, offering a complimentary breakfast to guests, and an evening menu for those who want to eat at the hotel. There is a lush, yet cozy lounge area adjacent to the restaurant where guests can socialize.

In addition, the hotel features a rooftop bar called Top of the Park. The bar is a focus for private parties and business meetings, as well as being open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, when not booked for private events. The Top of the Park offers panoramic views of Mount Adams and the Ohio River and Kentucky shoreline.
If you’ve never been, just stop in and take a peek……what a gem in Cincinnati!

Filed Under: Hotel Of The Month

Lauren Hill: The Tri-State’s Hero

January 1, 2015 By

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Lauren Hill wanted to live until Christmas. And that day has come and gone. Lauren is still fighting, despite her diagnosis.
Lauren, 19, may have terminal brain cancer, but she also has a terminal positive attitude. By working with Hospice of South Central Indiana, she’s been able to stay on her feet and spend the holiday season with her family, which was her ultimate Christmas wish.

Lauren’s fight to live has been nothing short of an inspiration to the entire Tri-State area. Watching her play basketball for the College of Mount St. Joseph (and become an honorary coach), helping her raise money for cancer research and treatment, cheering her on from the sidelines…it’s brought this community together in ways not often seen in this day and age.

When Lauren was diagnosed with DIPG, Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (a terminal brain cancer), about 14 months ago, doctors didn’t think she’d make it to December. It’s a testament to Lauren’s strong will and determination to make a difference that she ‘s still with us today. Instead of letting the disease beat her, she struck out to beat the disease – at least long enough to make her mark. She’s raised close to $750,000 for DIPG research, and has inspired many, many people to follow in her footsteps and make a difference. For example, The Cincinnati Rollergirls and Battering Rams recently held a private scrimmage in Lauren’s honor, and made her an honorary Rollergirl with the name “Ginger Snap”. The event raised money for Lauren’s charity, The Cure Starts Now. Nick Goepper, Olympic Bronze Medalist Snowboarder, held an event with Perfect North Slopes called “Rail Jam” to help raise funds as well.

Lauren’s fight won’t last forever, but her legacy will. Watching her living her life to the fullest extent she can will continue to be an inspiration and motivation to the entire Cincinnati area.

Filed Under: Cover Story

EnterTrainment Junction attracts all ages

December 1, 2014 By

entertainmentjunction-storyNeither your age nor your gender will stop you from having a great time at EnterTrainment Junction. From small girls, ‘tweens, teens, moms and grandmas and, from little lads to dads, uncles and grandpas too.

Trains? Yes, trains—ninety of them in all! The building houses the world’s largest train display: 25,000 square feet (1/2 of a football field!) done in eye-popping intricacy to detail. A funhouse or fantasyland is also at EnterTrainment Junction, not just trains. “What we are focused on is a family entertainment center and museum, where everybody of all ages will find things to excite and interest them,” said Don Oeters, president and creative inspiration behind EnterTrainment Junction.

That is what Key magazine found, with features that will tickle even socially-absorbed teenagers mesmerized by smart-phones and tweets and selfies. It’s like Coney Island when you were a kid—non-stop fun stuff to do!

This place is seriously incredible. There is a Clown College, a Tilt Room, where balls roll uphill and people feel the disorientation of a world on a slant; the Curtain Cove, where slatted curtains divide chambers and you become lost in the maze and left to find the way out. Take a trip through the universe, where a spiral tunnel with lights will have you holding on to railings for fear of falling into deep space, and the claustrophobia “squeeze” that is a badge of honor to go through, and great fun too.

This time of year, there’s also a trip to see Santa. The trip takes you through Mrs. Claus’ kitchen, and a fresh-baked cookie for each child, and send them on to the elves toyshop, past the reindeer and into Santa. Also, the largest holiday season train display is available to the public free of charge. It’s spectacular!

Hungry? The café at EnterTrainment Junction has subs, pizzas, hot dogs, snacks, drinks and more. There’s also a gift shop and toy store, where the toys and gifts are in a class by themselves, not to be found at the giant big-box retailers.

More about the trains: the layout has attracted kids and adults who love trains from allover, including all 50 states and 37 countries. Kids (and adults) can also take part in six different scavenger hunts. Almost every detail of the layout is hand-made, with more than 100,000 hours in construction and journey from the 1860s to the 1950s.

Through the layout, you’ll see a Union army encampment of the American Civil War with historical detail, including a trestle bridge burned by rebels, and rebuilt by Union troops in nine days. All this while trains of the era chug along, supported by sound effects that take you back in time.

Filed Under: Hot Spot Of The Month

Brunch at Via Vite a weekend affair

December 1, 2014 By

viavet-12-2014In Greater Cincinnati, Fountain Square is the epicenter…where you’ll find Via Vite restaurant and a weekend brunch like no other.

Via Vite’s brunch is special in many ways, being offered Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m…two days, and longer hours than most. The real distinction is to be found on the menu of this popular Italian restaurant. The selections allow for modest appetites to hearty eaters, all with an Italian twist.

“Via Vite prides itself on being the most authentic Italian experience available in Greater Cincinnati,” says Shawn McCabe, private events manager at the restaurant. “We utilize the absolute freshest ingredients, we have a scratch daily kitchen with the finest culinary talent, directed hands-on by Chef Cristian Pietoso, as well as Joel Werner, chef de cuisine.”

So what will you find on this remarkable brunch menu? The standout favorite, according to McCabe, is the Tuscan breakfast: a plate of pork belly, fagioli (beans, Italian style), fried egg and grilled bread. Now that’s Italian!

Another dish in the hearty category is the goetta hash, combining deeply Cincinnati (the goetta) with especially Tuscan Italian (the hash). The hash is near and dear to Chef Cristian Pietoso’s heart, he having grown up on it in his native Tuscany.

Filed Under: Restaurant Of The Month

Hyatt Regency Cincinnati

December 1, 2014 By

hyatt-regency-12-2014There is a lot to love about the newly renovated Hyatt Regency hotel on 5th Street in Cincinnati’s downtown grid. The hotel chain spent $10 million+ to renovate all rooms and public spaces, while adding the Red Roost Tavern, a market area, Starbucks and a lobby library. The makeover has transformed the hotel to one of the City’s gems for guests coming to the city.

“There is so much to be excited about at this hotel, and our guests appreciate the quality of the experience here,” said Kenneth Mendelsohn, manager of the restaurant and market areas of the hotel. The renovation included all guest rooms, where new mattresses and furnishings add to the comfort of every guest.

Mendelsohn noted features that hotel guests appreciate, even though they may go unnoticed. “We have the fastest wireless in the downtown area,” he said. That’s a simple thing, but guests appreciate the convenience and quality of the wi-fi experience at the Hyatt.

The hotel installed a salt-water system for the heated indoor pool, making the pool experience a cut above the norm. “Saline is better on the skin. It gives the same chemical effect (as chlorine), but it’s much softer and gentler. It takes more effort and expense on our part, but it’s better for our guests. So we do it.”

The fitness center and business center were also renovated. Both are open 24/7, and attract guests at all hours of the day and night. The fitness center is equipped with elliptical machines, treadmills, free weights and more, along with HDTV screens to make the exercise routine more enjoyable.

The lobby area is designed to provide convenience and choice to guests. The library features hundreds of current books that guests can read in the comfort of the library, off the lobby, or take to their rooms.

For late arrivals or early risers, there’s room service until midnight and Starbucks opens at 6 a.m. The Red Roost Tavern opens at 6:30 a.m., and is a full-service breakfast-lunch-dinner restaurant. The eatery was founded on farm-to-table philosophy. On the menu, there’s a list of the purveyors who supply the restaurant, which lives by a commitment to “food thoughtfully sourced, carefully served.” Mendelsohn said his favorite is the fig flatbread, featuring boursin, walnuts, spinach and a port reduction, along with the figs. The restaurant is know for its crab cakes, and dishes made from local produce, such as pan-seared squash gnocchi, pumpkin ravioli, and beer-braised beef short ribs.

Filed Under: Hotel Of The Month

Mummies visiting Greater Cincinnati

December 1, 2014 By

Yes, mummies! Lots of them. In fact, you will find the world’s largest collection of mummies ever assembled, now at the Cincinnati Museum Center.

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The nationally acclaimed Mummies of the World: The Exhibition has been called “magical and mythical” by the New York Times. More than 1.2 million visitors have experienced the exhibition, which includes mummies and artifacts from different eras and cultures dating from millennia past. The exhibit features both naturally and intentionally preserved mummies

The collection includes more than 150 specimens and artifact objects associated with the preserved bodies, including 45 human and animal mummies. The exhibit delves into the scientific study of mummies and provides a window into the lives of ancient peoples who practiced the “art” of mummification. Mummies and artifacts from the burial process are from South America, Europe and ancient Egypt. Amulets, statuary and tools used for mummification are part of the exhibit.

Attendees will see advances made in the scientific methods used to study mummies, including computer tomography (CT), analysis of ancient DNA and radiocarbon dating. The exhibit explains what a mummy is, and how mummification occurs, both through intentional and natural processes. Mummies have been found in bogs, caves, cellars, deserts, crypts, pyramids, and in environments all over the globe.

The exhibition offers visitors state-of-the-art multimedia and hands-on interactive stations, along with 3D animations, providing opportunity to learn how bodies are preserved in natural environments and by human assistance. An interactive world map shows the locales and environments where mummies have been found.

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Mummies of the World is an incredible glimpse into the fascinating mummification process that occurs in nature and the history of science, anatomy and medicine across the globe. Douglass W. McDonald, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Museum Center states, “We are so happy to bring this top-notch traveling exhibition to our region inviting visitors to come face-to-face with mummies presented from so many distinctive parts of the world.”

Among specimens are: the Nes-Hor and Nes-Min priests, who lived in the Ptolemaic period (225-195 BC); animal mummies of Egypt, dating to 325 BC; the Vac Mummies, a mummified family from Hungary, believed to have died from tuberculosis; Baron Von Holz, a German noble found tucked away in a family crypt of a 14th century castle, he wearing fine leather boots for the occasion; and the MUMAB, aka the Maryland Mummy, a modern-day “ancient mummy,” created by scientists in 1994, using the same methods and techniques as Egyptians did more than 3,000 years ago.

“Most people think mummies come from Egypt and are wrapped, but mummies come from all over the world,” stated Marcus Corwin, of American Exhibitors, Inc. “The exhibition is…providing insight into the lives and cultures of these ancient peoples. Inside every mummy is a story waiting to be told, and Mummies of the World is here to tell those stories.”

Mummies of the World will be on display throughout December and into 2015. Cincinnati is the 11th stop on an American tour of the exhibit.

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Filed Under: Cover Story
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