Romp Around Cincinnati

I spent a few rambling days exploring Cincinnati’s arts and parks.

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Had a long weekend to poke around Cincinnati’s East Side, which is the historic section with its hilly streets and wonderful public parks. Eden Park had a panoramic view of the Ohio River. The RV was camped somewhere in the distance, upstream.

Like Rome, Cincinnati is ringed by seven hills. Big, tall cliffs that tower over the river. Think San Francisco and that’s the scale of the Queen City’s hilly heights. The architecture of the historic East Side is astonishing. Gorgeous old homes are perched on every cliff ledge possible. If you ever have to build on the side of a mountain, hire a Cincinnati contractor. They’re the experts!

Aimless driving led me to discover a string of public parks, each filled with sculptures and art installations. I like that kind of exploring – just wandering around to see what there is to find.

I happened to be in Cincinnati during Reds Baseball Opening Day. Okay, this is a big deal here! The whole town turned out dressed in red, with a parade and long march to the ballpark. I thought about joining them, but when I saw folks parked four miles away from the stadium, I cleverly skirted down a side street and avoided the crowds entirely.

Photo: Findlay Market

Instead, I found the Krohn Conservatory. A small fee let me walk among the potted palms at a leisurely pace. No crowds.

The wonderful Cincinnati Art Museum kept me entertained for two afternoons in a row. It’s free, world class, and not to be missed. On the second floor, through an unassuming door and up a small staircase, was the fabulous Research Library. Seemed like every important art book ever printed was on the shelves. I thumbed through a bunch of glossy, expensive photography books that I’ve envied but can’t afford to own.

The reason for my trip to Cincinnati and the Art Museum was to hear a lecture by a renowned photographer. Matt Black is known for his intimate and sensitive work among the underprivileged class, like migrant farm workers and coal miners. Attendance at the lecture was standing room only, and I got there early to score a good seat. Mr. Black’s work is superb, but, like, you know, his speaking style, is, um, whaddayacallit, less than, you know, confident. Surprising really. Usually artists like to talk about their work. Maybe he’s just a shy guy?

I, however, had utmost confidence in my ability to wander aimlessly around a major metropolitan city. I stopped at Findlay Market and scooped up some interesting eats, like lion mane mushrooms and Sfoglini macaroni. At lunchtime my rambling brought me by Zip’s Cafe – celebrating 100 years of serving up the Zip Burger. Yeah, it was pretty good.

Really enjoyed this free-flow excursion around Cincy. No plans, all discovery. Sure, I could have researched every bit in advance, but what’s the fun in that?

Couldn’t leave town without a stop at Skyline Chili. If you know, you know!

That ho-hum photo lecture turned into a fun tour around the Queen City. Thank you, come again!