CANSTRUCTION is an international community service project of the design and construction industry to benefit community food banks.  With the support of local teams, thousands of hungry people are fed; a greater awareness of the issues surrounding hunger is brought to the public while spotlighting the local design and construction industry giving back to the community.

Architects, engineers, designers and contractors compete to design and build giant-sized structures made entirely out of canned foods.

The 20th Annual Cincinnati Canstruction competition will take place on April 4, 2017.  Teams will be ‘canstructing’ their sculptures in several downtown locations including the Weston Art Gallery and the Aronoff Center, the downtown Public Library, Scripps Center, Macy’s Fountain Place and a few others. Each team will have five hours to complete the building of their gigantic food structure.

On April 5, 2017 our celebrity jurors will travel to each location to view the structures and deliberate to choose winners in different categories: Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Jurors’ Favorite, CAN Spirit Award.

Winners will be announced on Friday, April 7, 2017 at the 20th Annual Cincinnati Canstruction Awards Gala to be held at the Fifth Third Theater at the Aronoff Center. The Canstruction exhibit will be on display from April 4 – 23, 2017. There is no charge for admission, but the public is encouraged to bring canned goods or make a donation to the Freestore Foodbank.

Through the generosity of volunteers, celebrity jurors and members of our local community, Cincinnati Canstruction has contributed 736,000 pounds of food to the Freestore Foodbank, enough to provide over 613,000 meals to our hungry neighbors in the Tri-State area.

Strut the Structures Guided Walking Tours – FREE, Family-Friendly Event!

Join us each Saturday of the display (April 8, April 15 and April 22) at 10:00 am at the Weston Art Gallery as we gather for a walking tour to see this year’s structures built entirely out of canned food up close.

Award Gala tickets: //cincinnaticanstruction.org

 

When the weather conspires to keep you indoors, you might as well have fun while you’re doing it – and the best place to have fun is the newly remodeled Splash Cincinnati.

Located in Sharonville, Splash Cincinnati features 55,000 square feet of year-round 84-degree indoor waterpark fun, complete with water slides, lazy river, interactive play structures, a splash area and an adults-only area for parents to relax in – and so much more. When you and the kids get tired of splashing around, the gaming area offers a wide variety of game that are ideal for the whole family. And all that fun will definitely make you hungry, so stop by the Sunset Bar and Café for drinks, snacks and meal items.

Splash Cincinnati offers you the chance to Splash and Play, for those with just time to drop by for the day, or you can Splash and Stay, and spend the night (or two) at the Ramada Plaza Hotel, attached to the waterpark. There are plenty of packages to choose from, too: all day and half day passes are available, along with season passes perfect for Tri-State area residents who always want to have something exciting to do up their sleeve. The hotel has fabulous Splash and Play packages (available only at www.splashcincinnati.com) if you are looking to make a longer visit, and don’t worry if you have a large group: group discounts are available! Everyone does need a pass to enter the waterpark though, even spectators, so be sure you have yours in hand when you get to Splash Cincinnati. And while you’ll need your own towels, you definitely won’t need sunscreen!

Got a birthday coming up? Celebrate with Splash Cincinnati! You can have a pool party no matter what time of year your birthday falls. From a Freaky Friday Birthday Bash to a Mega Splash Birthday Party, there is a package that meets every birthday boy or girl’s needs. Call 841-1515 for more details.

Warm atmosphere, palm trees, bright colors, tropical drinks and waves splashing in the background…you don’t have to leave Cincinnati to have the vacation you’ve been dreaming of, you just need Splash Cincinnati!

 

What a perfect weekend escape and only a short distance…. Indianapolis! If you haven’t been, you must. And if you have, then go again. Stop at the amazing places I’m writing about …. you will be forever thankful.

I was in need of a weekend escape. In a bit under 2 hours…we arrived at The Conrad Hilton in the heart of downtown Indy. Ahhhh.   Luxury.   Everyone was so friendly upon arrival, so welcoming. The room was up high with a great view. Big fluffy beds with serious pillows….. time to get a move on though and go out and do things!

Off to Milktooth for lunch…. named as one of the best restaurants by Conde Nast Traveler. Chef Jonathan Brooks has been featured on the cover of Food & Wine Magazine as a best new chef. It’s located in an old downtown car care garage in Fletcher Place, just minutes from the heart of the city. Be sure to order the TP caerphilly cheddar grilled cheese with black truffle honey and local duck egg. OMG.

After a bit of shopping, we headed to Tastings, a modern, artsy bistro offering wine tastings and great bites…flatbreads, cheese plates and tapas, tucked inside the Conrad of the lobby. We also had great people-watching as the very impressive Sacramento Kings were also staying at the hotel! Hard not to stare.

Time to head over to Banker’s Life Fieldhouse (just a short walk) to see the Indianapolis Pacers take on the Kings. If the Pacers are in town on your getaway, it’s a must! Such excitement all around…. the fans are very passionate about their team. What a game! Even went into overtime…. Pacers won!

Time for a late bite at Bluebeard, a trendy restaurant in Fletcher Place named after a Kurt Vonnegut novel which trickles into the restaurant’s library-like design. I beg you…. order the Pappardelle pasta with Italian sausage Bolognese. Just a perfect large portion of scrumptiousness. I mean lick-the-bowl amazing. We also ordered the Warm Kale salad with ham hock, pepitas, and other tasty treats. I’ve never had anything like it before. Did I mention the perfect Gin & Tonic? What a great late meal.

Rise and shine! Off to workout (very necessary with all this food intake!) and then relax in the completely redone Conrad Fitness Center and Evan Todd Spa. Incredible indoor pool and jacuzzi! It was hard to drag myself away from such a wonderful spot, in the lounge chair of luxury gazing up at the blue sky through the glass roof, but there were things to do…. food to eat.

Next on the list was brunch at The Garden Table, a local eatery/ juicery serving simple food and cold-pressed juice. With a focus on healthy living, The Garden Table focuses on supporting local businesses and taking care of mother earth…and you can feel it and taste it in all that they prepare! The Tuscan Toast with pesto, arugula, lamb bacon, feta and tomatoes was heavenly, along with andouille sausage hash. We went to the Broad Ripple location as we’d never been to that area. What a fun surprise! Quaint and welcoming, with great restaurants and shopping.

Off for some culture at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Wonderful exhibits in an incredible setting. We weren’t able to stroll the gardens as the weather was not ideal….maybe next time! Definitely stop in the Museum store, packed full of wonderful trinkets and items highlighted in the museum. Great book selection, and jewelry!

Dinner was at Black Market, tucked on the back end of Mass Ave., one of Indy’s hip arts neighborhoods. This gastropub is known for their extensive rum list and innovative dishes in an energetic environment. Cool setting with shared tables…easier to glance at the creative dishes being served all around. A must try are the Marrow Bones, possibly the best we’ve had! Be sure to eat the bread by Amelia’s Bakery…. the same bakery providing amazing breads to most of Indy’s hippest spots…..including Milktooth, Bluebeard, The Garden Table (The Broad Ripple location) and Black Market! So full. Time for bed.

What better to do on a Sunday morning than take a leisurely drive out to Traderspoint Creamery….located in a wonderful setting amongst mansions and rolling fields!   I can’t even tell you how much we adored this working farm and restaurant. The people, atmosphere, products, and the dining experience at The Loft was just the best. Traderspoint Creamery is an organic dairy farm on the north side of the city. They produce yogurt for Whole Foods nationwide. It’s an actual working farm with incredible food, from the milk, to the cheeses, and of course, the BEST YOGURT I’ve ever had. Ever. Gail Alden, Director of Marketing and Events was on-site…. we insisted she join us and share the wonderful story and history of Traderspoint Creamery. So we started ordering….. to die for….each and every course. The cheese board was perfection, featuring housemade organic grassfed cheeses, fig chutney, and Amelia’s Bread. Then on to several other items, including Chilaquiles Verdes, a corn tortilla bake with eggs, avocado, fresh cheese curd, tomatillo salsa verde and crème fraiche. Another amazing unique dish! It was the perfect finale to a wonderful weekend, in this incredible farm setting with snow falling. Can’t wait to go back!

Please be sure to visit www.VisitIndy.com for information on where to go and what to do.   Nate Swick, Communications Coordinator at Visit Indy did an incredible job of finding the best places to go. Nate also filled me in on what’s upcoming for Visit Indy…. Indy’s mayor named 2017 the “Year of Vonnegut” in Indianapolis. Author Kurt Vonnegut grew up in Indy and is known for his novels like Slaughterhouse Five and Cat’s Cradle. It’s been 10 years since his death and the grand re-opening of a Vonnegut museum on Mass Ave. (April 8th) is big news. In celebration, eleven of the city’s best cocktail bars will place a unique, Vonnegut-inspired cocktail on their menu for eleven weeks. For example, Bluebeard will be doing a “Breakfast of Champions” cocktail, made with Laird’s Applejack, Amaro Montenegro, Amara di Angostura, Honey, Lemon, Apple Jacks and infused half n half with a Wheaties sugar rim. The cocktails will be on menus February 1 through April 16.

So many fun things to do and so close by.   VISIT INDY. I promise you’ll have a wonderful trip.

 

 

 

 

 

Ultimate Air Shuttle is excited to announce that they will be offering their unique VIP air travel service to Atlanta, GA to its Cincinnati customers.

Starting March 20th, you can take a daily flight to and from Cincinnati to Atlanta, home of the Braves, the Falcons and Coca Cola. When business or pleasure travel is taking you to Atlanta, you can enjoy the trip because Ultimate Air Shuttle always strives to make your experience more productive and more time-efficient than regular air travel. You’ll fly into DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, and if you book your ground transportation on the Ultimate Air Shuttle website, you’ll be able to walk off the plane and head to your destination without any hassle.

As always, flying with Ultimate Air Shuttle is a breeze: no two-hour lines to wait in, no baggage fees, free parking at Lunken Airport and free ground transportation to downtown. Best of all, your ticket price is a flat rate with taxes included. Plus, you’ll get all those amenities (drinks and snacks) the other airlines charge an arm and a leg for. Need to cancel? Let them know 24 hours in advance and there are no cancellation or change fees.

You really can’t beat the convenience of free parking and easy arrival time and the lack of hidden costs when flying with Ultimate Air Shuttle; it’s a great time and money saver for both the business and leisure traveler. Plan a trip to Atlanta and hop on board!

Celebrate this Valentine’s Day by taking in a performance of Cincinnati Ballet’s King Arthur’s Camelot, showing at the Aronoff Center February 10-12. The epic tale based on the story of King Arthur is translated through original choreography by Cincinnati Ballet Artistic Director & CEO Victoria Morgan, an original musical composition by Canadian composer John Estacio that is performed by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and conducted by Maestro Carmon DeLeone, and an original libretto by dramaturge Eda Holmes.

King Arthur’s Camelot is one of the few ballets based on the legendary tale of King Arthur, a prevalent focal point of medieval literature. After being pronounced king and finding true love with Guinevere by way of Merlin’s magic, King Arthur’s idyllic life soon leads way to turmoil as he learns of the transgressions of his new wife and his newest knight, Lancelot. A young idealist, King Arthur’s visions of obtaining a perfect love and ruling with honor and valor are challenged and he finds himself a mere man, navigating a world wrought with betrayal and dishonor. The story is told through a stunning display of dance and theatrical elements such as projections, puppets, and exquisite sets and costumes.

A highlight of Cincinnati Ballet’s 50^th Anniversary season, the ballet premiered in 2014, the first full-length production created by Cincinnati Ballet since 1994’s Peter Pan.

If you are a true ballet aficiando, you can meet the artists at a Ballet & Beer event on Thursdasy, February 2 from 5:15-7pm at the Cincinnati Ballet Center in Over-the-Rhine. There will be a casual, behind-the-scenes experience where you can hear from Cincinnati Ballet dancers and see how they embody their characters through dance, manage complicated fight choreography, and still manage to make it all look so easy. This event is free, and pre-registration is required! RSVP via phone 513.621.5282 or online at cballet.org/ballet-beer. At the event, Cincinnati young professionals under 40 will get an exclusive opportunity to purchase specially-priced tickets for the next Cincinnati Ballet performance (pending availability).

Have the romantic Valentine’s weekend of your dreams, and join the Cincinnati Ballet for King Arthur’s Camelot.