You know Cincinnati has been split traditionally into the East and West sides. To those who have moved here recently, or those unfamiliar with the stereotypes, I liken the division in high school terms: West Siders go to parties, drink, listen to rap, and the girls give BJs (cause they’re all Catholic, get it?) and East Siders go to parties, smoke pot, listen to jam bands, and have sex. Hardy-har-har-har.
As a teenager growing up in town, I didn’t come from any side and had no idea there even were “sides” until I went to high school (private, Catholic, all-girls) and found out about the divide.
What was so interesting to me, however, was not that the divide existed, but that this separation was so immediately visible. Apparently the stereotypes were true, and I wanted nothing to do with them, vowing to never be an “East” or “West” sider, ever.
Now, as an adult, I’ve lived on both sides, savored what they had to offer, and though I don’t identify as one or the other, I have to give props to the West side of town, not only for their tight-knit communities and family-oriented values, but for their seemingly inexhaustible supply of summer festivals.
This weekend is Cheviot’s West Fest where one can savor food, hang out in the beer garden, participate in a pickle eating contest, hear music on two stages, dump the rugrats at the “Kidz Zone”, throw money away on games, rides, and arts and crafts. There’s even a Classic Car show on Sunday. Woot!
A shuttle to and from Dillard’s in the West Towne Center, 6290 Glenway Ave, is available, as parking on Cheviot’s side-streets can become contentious when residents put out chairs on the street to “save” their parking spot. Or not.
If you have nothing to do this weekend, check it out. And please note: although this festival is taking place on the West side, shirts and shoes are required (don’t get mad at me–it’s on the event’s website, which interestingly supports negative stereotypes about the West side…)
Where: Downtown Cheviot, Harrison Avenue, Cheviot, OH 45211
How much: Rides: $10 bracelet, 1-5 p.m.; after 5 p.m. $3 each
If you follow this website with any regularity, you’re aware that The Crazy Fox Saloon won the yearly popularity contest that is our Best Bar Tournament. As with last year, we’re planning a bash of sorts at the winning bar.
Not that The Crazy Fox isn’t a bash on a regular basis–it is; they do have absinthe, after all.
In any case, it looks like we’ve got a tentative plan to have a TCM Best Bar meetup on Saturday, July 10 around 7:00 p.m. At this point, that’s all the detail I have available; as more comes in, I’ll pass it right along.
A couple days back, C Trent over at CNati, likely the area’s best source for sports news, posted a little update about what’s going on over there. In short: he dunno.
So what’s next? I don’t know. I know for the time being, we’ll be on kind of a break — or at least I will. Paul will likely do some more High-5s, Brian may shoot more Reds games. We will still host the best Reds message board on the ol’ internets in Red Letter Daze.
The ‘Crans (which is the name I’ve just decided to call him) took a job with CBSSports.com–and you can follow him right here–and one of the byproducts of that is that his local/Cincinnati focus will be dwindling. This, of course, is great news for him, and hey, three cheers for that. But on a more selfish level, a pretty important part of my sports news intake will be disappearing, at least for a time.
In the end, The ‘Crans is moving on to greener pastures, like a paying writing gig. This is important unless you’re into being a hobo or a getting-picked-on-by-Jeff-Berding enthusiast, of which I assume C Trent is neither. So for us, the reading public, it’s a good time to congratulate him, read his stuff over at CBSSports, and be a bit sad that we’re missing out on TOL’s for the time being.
It’s Wednesday, “Hump Day”, the official middle-of-the-week. Two days are blissfully behind us, while two more loom large and uncomfortable like budding hemorrhoids.
Fear not, oh bored and befuddled Cincinnatian. There is something to do tonight that will give you the courage to look forward to fun after work, and will get you sufficiently liquored up to forget that there is an expectation to actually show up to work on Thursday morning.
At Fountain Square on Wednesdays nights, the city hosts Reggae Wednesdays from 5-9, complete with music, happy hour priced drinks, and probably some drunk fool you and your friends can point and laugh at.
Make a date with the co-workers you can stand and get down there. Better yet, ask that chick you’re casually dating to go: she’ll have a good time, and you’ll get points for thinking of her on a Wednesday.
Check out the website for no more information than I already have you, here.
