Week 16: Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum is not normally free but a few times per year the park offers free admission, usually in conjunction with a special event. April 24 is International Sculpture Day and to celebrate, the park waived its normal $8 per person fee for the day.

Entrance to Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park

The 300-acre park combines woodland, meadows, gardens and lakes with over 70 modern and contemporary pieces of sculpture. Visitors can enjoy the park on foot, in a vehicle or by renting an "art cart" to traverse the hilly landscape. The park is divided into four areas: East Ridge, North Woods, Central Valley and Overlook Hill. We opted to drive to each section and stop at various lay-bys to get out and walk from piece to piece.

Row of "Art Carts" awaiting drivers

It was a splendid spring day and had I been smart enough to wear my Brooks GTS-15s instead of sandals (to show off my gorgeous new pedi from Spruce), we probably would have walked the entire park.

Euclid's Cross by Michael Dunbar

Dragonfly Dome by Voss Finn

Trilogy by Obie Simonis

Still Life by Ed Benevente - Steve reckons it looks like a bloke puking

Midnight Serenade by Pokey Park, although I like to refer to it as Death Throes of Tottenham Hotspur

The Cube by Tony Rosenthal (reminds me of the Borg's cube)

Overlook Hill

Another view from Overlook Hill

Abracadabra by Alexander Liberman

No idea. Not listed in the brochure

Another one not in the brochure, but it literally buzzed with excitement

Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park is open daily.

Week 15: Trekkin' to the Library

For the last three years, the Main branch of the Cincinnati Public Library has held its own little Comic-Con. This year is the fourth time area nerds could rejoice the fact.

As part of 2016’s convention, the library has previewed it to present a “50th Anniversary of Star Trek” exhibit.

I took the tribble of going to look it over (See what I did there?)

From "The Trouble with Tribbles" episode

The exhibition basically consists of a whole slew of memorabilia and Troi’s, sorry toys, from the private collection of a small handful of people.

Enterprise toy from private collection

It’s amazing to think that Star Trek has been in the public consciousness since 1966, the result of not just the original TV series, but all the sequels and movie incarnations. This exhibit has a little taste of everything and I did a mental Chekov as I walked round the two floors it was laid out on.

Mr. Potato Head Star Trek characters

Kudos to everyone involved in this worthy enterprise. As free things go, it was the real McCoy, and it was fun to spock - sorry, spot - toys that I remember from my past.

A commemorative plate from the U.S.S. Enterprise

I could say it all made me hungry, so I left and went for a borger. But that would probably be far too punny.

The exhibit is open until May 23.

Plenty to check out at our public library!

Comic Con is Saturday, May 21, 12-5 p.m. and will feature celebrity guests, booths, geek crafts, cosplay and board gaming. The Main branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is located at 800 Vine St., downtown.

Week 14: Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Parade

Cincinnati lays claim to having the first professional baseball team in the country. As a matter of some tradition - and for decades since (well until fairly recently) - the first pitch of every major league season would occur in Cincinnati to officially ’kickstart’ the sport’s long slog to the World Series in November.

Opening Day - as it is called - has become an unofficial public holiday in Cincinnati, and since 1920 Findlay Market has organized an extravagant parade which winds its way from the market, through the city to Fountain Square, where an all-day party erupts.

Dressing in red and white is almost mandatory

With the missus holed up at work (despite a nasty cold), I walked by myself to stake a spot on Race Street near Washington Park to be entertained by this year’s event. I met up with some friends from out of town who were visiting with their two young kids. None of whom had witnessed the vibrancy, colourful exuberance and fun of this particular parade.

Go Reds!

It was my tenth parade in 11 years and, as is often the case with such familiarity, there are certain floats you anticipate and expect to make a showing. I was not disappointed. 

No parade is complete without a good marching band or three

The Police motorcycle squad, fire engines, trash trucks, clowns on stilts, marching bands galore, flag corps, bicyclists, rollerskaters, Segways, HUGE inflatables, dressed-up dogs (some on skateboards) , Clydesdale horses and the omnipresent lawnmower display team (No, not making that up). Personally, I always give the biggest cheers and applause to the people - armed with shovels and buckets - who walk behind the horses. Whatever they pay those people, it’s not enough.

The Lawnmower Men

Of course there are also entrants who (IMHO) ruin the parade. I’m all for free speech but lets prohibit all politicians from using the event to further their ambitions can we? What do they hope to achieve? All they do is stink the place up.

Oriental Wok rides in style

And more caustically, anyone who plans to walk the parade playing bagpipes (the incumbent devil of musical instruments) should have their application revoked instead of subjecting us all to their incessant whiny tuneless noise.

The author demonstrates the correct way to listen to bagpipes

Despite whooping and whoo-ing at all the floats, the kids eventually got bored - the parade lasts for 2+ hours, consequently there is definitely an ‘endurance factor’ —  so we packed up our folding chairs and ‘stuff’ and fought our way through the remaining crowds back to our building.

A view from the seventh floor - photo courtesy Kathy Schwartz

The parade remains one of Cincinnati’s very best “Free Things to Do” each year. Unless you don’t like bagpipes or politicians.

The Findlay Market Opening Day Parade happens yearly at the start of baseball season. Cincinnati Reds Opening Day is an unofficial holiday in Cincinnati.

Week 13: Gypsy Jazz at Japp's

We love Japp's. It's by far the coolest, friendliest bar in Over-the-Rhine and owner Molly Wellmann is undoubtedly the hippest, grooviest mixologist ever. The bar is also really close to our home, which makes it our favorite "local."

Japp's Since 1879

Molly was behind the bar when we ventured in on Friday after work and greeted us with a smile and a rundown of her weekly creations. Her mixes are truly a work of art. Sublime and subtle, they have a way of sneaking up on you because the flavors work together so well it's easy to forget there is alcohol in the glass. We ordered up and settled down at the bar to watch Burning Caravan in action.

Cocktail board at Japp's Since 1879

We had a splendid time. The band's infectious gypsy jazz had folks dancing, we became fast friends with those around us and were later joined by neighbors celebrating the end of the work week.

Burning Caravan in action

The night wasn't completely free since we bought drinks, but the music and fun atmosphere at Japp's are always free. Brilliant!



Japp's Since 1879
1136 Main St. 
Over-the-Rhine
Free music Thursday-Saturday

NOTE: Week 13 is late being posted because I was laid low by The Goob for a week. Sorry!