A night out at The Grand Finale

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I had a great night out at Grand Finale in Glendale.  I grew up near the Glendale area, so going to the Grand Finale was both a walk back in time for those special occasions with family when I was little and a new experience.   It is such quaint old Victorian house with a cozy atmosphere that has always been part of the charm. Virginia, who has worked here since she was a server in the 70’s, is now the proud owner and actually was the hostess on duty!

First, let me say that the staff is amazing and we were lucky to have Kate take care of us. She was adorable and full of great suggestions and has such a cute personality.

We started off with the French Onion Soup which was delightful, followed by the Artichoke Fritters with Béarnaise. I went with the crepes because that is a signature dish here. They were so delightful and such a treat because good crepes are hard to find around town. My husband got the filet with the side of Rosemary Potato au gratin… ohhhh so good. Although we told Kate we were stuffed, we felt like we need to try a dessert. They have a staff that come in overnight to make all their desserts, so everything is homemade and fresh as can be J. Another unique feature of this restaurant. We got the special for the night– the Oreo Cheesecake with vanilla sauce. This, my friends, is why it is called the Grand Finale! We said we were full, but we almost ate the whole dang thing!

Check out the bottom of the menu…it boosts something that speaks volumes to the establishment. The 10 + Team. All the staff who have worked there over 10 years and there are quite a few. I think that is pretty cool.

I can’t wait to go back and try the Sunday Brunch which I haven’t been to in forever.

 

 

Things To Know:

•3 E. Sharon Rd, Glendale, Ohio

•Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11am-9pm, Sunday 10:30am-2:30pm, 4:30-9:00pm, Closed on Monday

•Most of the paintings were done by the original owner Cindy Youse

•It was a Corner Market & a Saloon over a hundred years ago then was opened as Grand Finale in 1975.

•They have three private rooms for any size gathering

•Specials- 2 Dinners & 1 Bottle of Wine $44 offered Tuesday-Friday & Sunday 5pm-close

•The Grand Finale

 

Halloween Fun For Everyone in Cincinnati

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It’s that time of year… pumpkins, candy corn and scary stuff! I wanted to give you a list of events/activities for kids and adults to enjoy during October

 

Adult Fun

  • Dent School House– 5963 Harrison Ave. Thursday & Sunday 7:30-10pm, Friday & Saturday 7:30-midnight. OMG! I got to do a tour and this is some scary fun! It takes about 25 minutes to get through the abandoned school house and you will tense up every time you turn a corner because it is jam packed with thrills. This awesome place has been featured: E!, HGTV, The Chive, USA Today, CNN, MSN and, soon, will be on the Travel Channel. It doesn’t get all this attention for nothing. Check out the “skull room” with 4,000 handmade skulls on the walls. This is the least scary room of all..if that means anything :). New this year, the use of projection mapping which makes things come to life.
  • “Lights on for the Little Ones” is October 28th4pm-7pm No scary actors during this.
  • $2 off Coupons at Dunkin Donuts- sink your fangs into some great seasonal flavored donuts while you’re there and try the Oreo hot chocolate! Hey Michelle giveaway on Instagram soon. Keep looking Heymichelle1

 

  • Haunted Brewery Tour– 1621 Moore St. Cristian Moerlein Brewing and Cincinnati Escape Room have joined to alter the underground tour and make it a haunted tour where you work to solve the mystery! I am doing this Friday night, so I will give you more details soon!
  • Runs every Friday & Saturday night through October 27, 2018

 

  • Video Archive– 965 E McMillian St. Tuesday-Thursdays 5pm-12, Friday & Saturday 5pm-2am- Once again they have transformed the already cool bar into “Yuletide Nightmare” popup bar! It’s already a fun speakeasy and now they give you another surprise.

 

  • Kings Island Halloween Haunt– Friday & Saturday 6pm-1am. Attractions throughout the park from haunted mazes, scare zones, live shows and creatures lurking around the park. You can always scare yourself more by hopping on a few rides.
  • Bring your student ID and save $17. Free with season pass
  • Kids options- Great Pumpkin Festival – Saturday & Sunday 12pm-6pm

 

 

  • Halloween Bar Crawl-OTR & The Banks– October 27th2pm-10pm– Drink & Food specials, light up cup, swag, photographers, prizes, kick-off party at Club Scene and moving on to Blind Pig, Tokyo Kitty, Holy Grail and more. Ticket required.

 

  • Creatures of the Night @ 21c Museum Hotel– 609 Walnut St.– Expect funky fun as only 21c can do! Music, new cool photobooth, costumes, creepy cocktails and more. Food not included but makeup by pros is available if you don’t have a costume!

 

  • Nightmare on Madison St.– Hotel Covington 638 Madison Ave.– October 27th9pm-2am advance tix $15, $25 at the door. 18 and up. Cash bar DJ and prizes for best costume

 

  • Harry Potter Wizardfest Pop-up– Bogart’s- October 17- Ages 18 and up are encouraged to dress in your best Dumbledore or any other character. Dancing and themed cocktails will be enjoyed as Bogart’s is transformed into a castle. This traveling party is selling out in other cities so buy tickets soon.

 

 

Kid Friendly

 

  • Friday Night Flicks @ Washington Park- 1230 Elm. St.– Great lineup of movies on the big screen. Movies start at 8, but you can come early bring a picnic or grab some food and drink from the park bar. 10/10 E.T., 10/17 Ghostbusters, 10/24 Night Before Christmas

 

  • Scarecrow Row– Armleder Park- Fun Scarecrows line the paths of the walking/biking trail of the park. Look for Hey Michelle and tag me in a pic ;)

 

  • Blooms & Berries– 9669 St. Rt 48 Loveland- Open daily 10am-7pm- – A seven acre corn maze, kids corn maze, farm animals, hayrides and more.

 

 

  • Shaw Farm-1737 St. Rt. 131 Milford- Open Daily 9am-7pm– Hayrides, pumpkins, maze and more… Flashlight Maze on Friday & Saturday 8:00!

 

  • HallZOOween-Cincinnati Zoo-3400 Vine St. October 6th-28thSaturdays & Sundays– Trick or Treat Stations, animal encounters, Theater of Illusions, Hogwarts Express Train.. more. Bring a treat bag

 

  • Fall-O-Ween-Coney Island-6201 Kellogg- Open 11am-6pm Saturdays & Sundays in October — Rides, petting zoo, hayrides, trick or treat trail, roast s’mores, and Halloween magic. So get your little goblins and head to Coney.

 

  • Weber Pumpkin Fest– 6007 Kilby Harrison Oh- Oct 20 9am-6pm, Oct 21st9am-5pm– This is going to be worth it! Over 150 arts and craft exhibitors, food, live demonstrations, many activities for the kids, pie eating contest, 60 animal petting zoo, pony rides, farm machines, glass blowing and the best price $5 adults and free for 12 and under!

 

 

 

Cincinnati Weekend!

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This Weekend I hear our goal is to stay dry! Hopefully our weather predictions are just wrong! Here are some things I am going to try to hit. Have a great weekend.

Saturday & Sunday
Cincinnati Opera! Starting tonight through July 31st is the Cincinnati Operas American Premier of Another Brick in the Wall at Music Hall. I can’t wait to see this tonight! Get Tickets HERE

Schutzenfest Cincinnati- July 20-22 10235 Mill Rd. Don’t let the weather keep you away they have a huge indoor hall to keep your Schnitzel dry!! Food, beer and fun for all. Opens at 6:00 tonight and 4:00 Saturday.

AR Workshop Cincinnati- Friday 7:00 or Saturday at 10:00 or 7:00 -3434 Edwards Rd is hosting a weekend of DIY projects sponsored by HGTV Magazine. You may even go home with a gift bag and your cool project. BYO beer or wine to sip while getting your creative juices flowing! Tickets required! Click HERE

Saturday
Namas Dey!- Paul Brown Stadium Saturday 8:00am Yoga in the Jungle! Get tickets HERE

City Flea- Washington Park Saturday 10:00 am-4:00pm- Rain or shine shopping, eating, drinking, music and just a great time!

Corkopolis Saturday Tastings- 640 Main St. 2:00-5:00pm- The sommeliers and wine experts will be on hand to guide you through wines from the world. Cheers! Get tickets HERE

Mercantile Library- 414 Walnut St. #1100 Meet Me at The Merc Saturday 10:30 If you have never been please do yourself a favor and go to this event. Let them show off this gem!

Crafted Food, Beer & Music Festival – Sawyer Point 705 Pete Rose Way Saturday 2-6pm Farm to Table meets beer and Music…. Sounds perfect! Ticket includes 16 food vouchers and up to 84 oz of beer! Get tickets HERE

Sunday
Sundry Sundays- Vive la France- A pop up brunch and cocktail party! Noon-4:00

Living Breathing Kitchen will cook up some fun food and Sundry will do what they do which is kick butt cocktails!

Please- 1405 Clay St. Bake Sale time! Zoe Taylor from Milktooth in Indy is the guest baker from 11am-3pm YUMMMM!

Chocolate – The Exhibition- Cincinnati Museum Center- Runs through January 6th

This is a fun interactive sweet :) treat! Click HERE for more info.

4th of July… stuff to try!

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Start off 4th of July with a BANG! So much going on starting tonight.

Tuesday July 3rd-
•Balloon Glow at Coney Island– Free event you just pay for parking. Glow starts at 8:00, Fireworks follow at 10.
• Northside Rock ‘N’ Roll Carnival– Today 3:00- midnight , July 4th 10am-midnight
• Mason Red Rhythm & Blue4-10pm Tons of fun going on all day and Five For Fighting plays at 6:00 then The Fray at 8:30 followed by fireworks at 10:00
• Catch all the fun while cruising on the Ohio River. BB Riverboat is having a cruise tonight from 6:30-11:30 including an American picnic you can see the glow balloons and fireworks from all over!
• Cincinnati Reds are on a roll go catch a game and some great fireworks tonight and tomorrow against the Chicago White Sox.
•Try something different for the family… Fountain Feud on Fountain Square 7-9pm

Wednesday July 4th-
• Montgomery Parade 10am along Cooper Rd.
• Kings Island is having a Fireworks Extravaganza included with admission (or free with a view from a nearby parking lot J )
• Anderson Parade
– 10am along Beechmont Levy. Food, music and car show after at the Towne Center.
• Ault Park Parade,
music , fun and fireworks- 11am-11pm.
• Northside Parade at Noon along Hamilton Ave. this is always entertaining J
•Red, White & Blue Ash- Carnival, food, rides and most importantly Pat Benatar! Hit me with your Best Shot… love it!! And John Waite followed by fireworks
•Summer Cinema at Washington Park movie is… Independence Day 9:00pm
•Loveland all day of fun- parade, rides, food and fireworks 4-10 pm

Thursday July 5th-
• The Tillers at Washington Park 7:00pm fun bluegrass band!

Then to top off the weeks activities go check out the Blooms & BerriesFarm -9669 S State Route 48 in Loveland. They will release 1,000 butterflies beginning at 11a.m. then there is a 9 day celebration!

Look Up at the Cincinnati Observatory!

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It’s unique, interesting, one of a kind and it’s right at the end of a neighborhood cul-de-sac in Mt. Lookout. It’s the Cincinnati Observatory! I took a group of 4 high school girls who had no idea this place existed (that, I’m sure, is true with others in Cincy) and they loved it. The whole setting is so pretty and it’s the home of the oldest professional observatory in the United States and has given us the title of “The Birthplace of American Astronomy.” It also houses the world’s oldest telescope that is still in use. As you walk around the 14-acre site, you will see that there are two cool National Historic Landmark buildings on the property as well.

They offer daily tours where you can look through the two giant telescopes or, on clear days, they will let you help them open the roll away roof. There is so much history and fun information that all ages will have a great time. This is not just for geeked-out astrology people, I promise.

As you tour the building and look at the equipment, you will also learn little know facts about the people who were involved in the creation of this gem. Good cocktail conversation like the fact that John Quincy Adams was responsible for getting the telescope to our Observatory and that’s why Mt. Adams changed its name from Mt. Ida to honor him. Or, where the telescopes were built and who helped finance them. I don’t want to spoil your tour, so I don’t want to tell you too much. When you are on your tour make sure to sweet talk your guide into showing you the clock in the basement. The clock was the official timekeeper for Cincinnati back in the day before radio signals or other electronic systems. Who remembers, “calling time” on your house phone?? :) (Do you know you can still call that same number and get the time? 721-1700) This is also where the National Weather Service got it’s start. I’m telling you this place is really cool and it’s right in the heart of our city… right in Mt. Lookout and why do you think it’s called Mt. Lookout? Yep, because of the Observatory!

Since 1979, the Observatory has been owned by the Physics Department of University of Cincinnati. Thankfully for us, they continue to let it be used by the general public. Their mission is to further astronomy education and they do a lot of school programs. They also rent out the property for weddings, fundraisers, meetings and more!

You must put this on your calendar for the summer or anytime. Check out all of their fantastic events from Astro Nights to Marsapalooza they have a calendar full of fun. Events fill up quickly so make sure to get in now.

More Info:
• 3489 Observatory Place
• Hours: Monday – Friday Noon-4:00 Tours at 1:00,2:00 & 3:00 but they might be flexible and if you have a group call ahead and set something up.
• Sunday Historical Tours- 2nd & 4th Sunday from 1-4 p.m.
• Click HEREfor the upcoming events
• Check out the sundial area in the front lawn!
• Suggested donation for tour is $5 totally worth it! Put down your phones and look up ;)

This Weekend in Cincinnati!

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This weekend is jammed with fun stuff in Cincinnati! I’m trying to make it to most… see you out and about. Have a blast. Follow me on Insta Heymichelle1 for more scoop.

Bunbury Music Festival – Friday – Sunday with four stages of fun bands including Chainsmokers, Post Malone, Fitz & The Tantrums, Young the Giant (want to check them out), Third Eye Blind and so many more.


Summerfair @ Coney Island- Friday – Sunday hundreds of artists from all over come and share their creations. While at Coney check out the humongous ferris wheel… well, you don’t have a choice but to check it out since you can see it from I-275!


Taste of Lebanon @ St. Anthony of Padua Maronite Church – 2530 Victory Pkwy Saturday & Sunday

Food, entertainment and more!

Cincitalia Italian Festival@ Harvest Home Park – Friday – Sunday 3961 N Bend Rd. Starting with adult night tonight then eating, drinking , gambling and more for the whole weekend.


Please- 1405 Clay St. OTR
They are hosting another fantastic baker for the “Bake Sale” series. Sunday 11-3 they welcome Sasha Piligian from Squirl in LA. Love this restaurant and absolutely LOVE this event series for the summer.

Walk on Woodburn- Walnut Hills on Woodburn Friday 6-10
Music, food, drinks and shopping! Check out all the great spots and galleries open late tonight!

5th & Vine Live -Concerts on Fountain Square- Friday & Saturday night 7-11pm

Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!

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One thing I look forward to every summer is the City Flea which takes place in Washington Park on the third Saturday of the month from now until October. After that they have a special holiday event December 15th.

This monthly event gives you a great opportunity to just walk around in the shadow of beautiful Music Hall and listen to music that is always pumping while you shop, eat and drink. This is a dog friendly, kid friendly and everyone is happy event! You will see everything from vintage clothing, jewelry, candles, stationary, Cincy t-shirts, food items and much more. Warning these pics are from last year so I can’t promise they will be there.

I want to highlight a new vendor this year. Jeff Molski! He is going to be selling some of his really cool refurbished Mid-Century Modern furnishings. He started this hobby not long ago and now he has a pretty good following on his Instagram where he sells most of his pieces. So now people can see it all in one place at City Flea. He finds some ultra cool pieces and restores them to their original beauty. He has everything from cool lamps, chairs, end tables, clocks and more. Check out his Insta @midcenturymodernrescue to see all of his works of art!

Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!
Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!
Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!
Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!
Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!
Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!
Weekend Fun in Cincinnati!

 

While your down at the Flea, grab a drink at The Porch at Washington Park. This is the very cool and very large, covered bar area where you can grab a cocktail, a snack, play a little ping pong, or chess on the oversized gameboard, or just chill on a lawn chair. Open: Monday-Thursday 4-9 and Friday-Sunday 11-9.

 

This Saturday is also the OTR 5K, so start your day off with a little exercise then stay and shop. Enjoy your weekend and tell me your favorite booth at City Flea so I can give them a shout-out next month! For more info check out otrchamber.com
Things to know:
• Hours for City Flea: Sat 10a.m. – 4p.m.
• Parking: under Washington Park in the garage, the pay lot next to Music Hall or behind Music Hall there is a large parking garage.
• There will be food trucks as well as drinks sold at the park and the bar area mentioned above. While in OTR you know there are plenty of great places to walk and find just about any kind of food!
SUNDAY !

Ohhh Please!
I also want to mention a summer long event starting this Sunday at one of the coolest places in town, Please. They are hosting Bake Sale Pop-Ups one Sunday a month through September. This isn’t just your school cafeteria Bake Sale this is AMAZING… Some of the countries best pastry chefs will be visiting (all women:)! This Sunday is Stella Parks, from Lexington author of the James Beard Award winning cookbook BraveTart (that name :) love it). She will be at Please from 11-3 and she will be selling & signing her cookbook. There will also be women wine makers. Sounds divine! While there you can also enjoy their fried chicken & Rosé Sunday.
I will give you more scoop about the future bakers soon!
Washington Park Pictures and City Flea areal pics provided by facebook

Tokyo Kitty, karaoke the night away!

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“Hit me with your Best Shot” and “ Rappers Delight.” Just give me a microphone, and those are my first two choices. So, after a birthday, I grabbed a few friends to hit up Tokyo Kittydowntown, we ended up singing for two hours in a cool, private room and having a blast. I had a couple girls in the group who thought they would just “stop in for a minute.” Yeah, they were the ones from whom I was prying the microphone, and they ended up dancing out on the main dance floor for awhile.
Tokyo Kitty is just another addition to the innovative bars behind the mastermind Jacob Trevino. His other two bars are Video Archivein Walnut Hills (a Quentin Tarantino-themed speakeasy with a “Pulp Fiction” vibe) and Overlook Lodge in Pleasant Ridge (a nod to “The Shining”). This guy knows how to throw a party, and I love it! Last Christmas, he even transformed those two bars. Video Archive was “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and The Overlook Lodge transformed into an over-the-top “Miracle Bar”.
The latest bar is a nod to Bill Murray’s “Lost in Translation.”. Jacob said the scene where Murray and Scarlett Johansson sing was part of the bar’s inspiration. The scene “shows people connecting over music”. I can attest, when we were all on the dance floor, we were all dancing with some “new best friends” haha
When you enter the bar, you’ll feel like you just landed in the Tokyo airport. They don’t want the dance floor to ever get jammed with people, so you wait in the bar area to start you off. Then you’re guided through a cool, mirrored hallway (selfie area for sure) and into the main bar, which has fantastic light effects a DJ and a fully stocked bar with a long list of specialty cocktails and sake drinks. You can stay in here as long as you want (where the crowd controls the music selection and everyone can sing along) or you can reserve a private room. There are seven themed rooms of varying sizes. This is a blast! You and your friends can sing dance and be crazy while you plug in the songs you want. The best part…your drinks are served using your phone and are delivered by a Bbot! A what???? It is a robotic drink delivery system where the bartender loads your drinks, they go up through the ceiling and down into your room! It is soooo flipping cool. TK is only the second bar in the country to have this system.
So, whether you want to just hang in the main bar or have a little private party or both, it’s really an awesome time. Put this on your list of things to do in Cincy for sure!
Click HERE for my previous write up on Video Archive
Things To Know:
• 575 Race St.
• Open 5p.m. – 2a.m. everyday
• Sun–Thurs private rooms
Small room $20/hour
Medium room $30/hour
Large room $40/hr.
Add $10 Friday & Saturday
• Try the “Luna” cocktail (yummm) named after Sailor Moon cat. Sailor is popular animated Japanese character
• The microphones they have must be magical because I swear I sounded sooo good!

A look into Pout Studio and more Mother’s Day ideas!

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I wanted to get this idea out for you in case you were still looking for a great Mother’s Day gift. As a mom, I love things I can do with my kids. This one is for Mom’s and daughters and it is so fun. (Many more gift ideas at the below):)

Last week I had a chance to visit Pout Studiowhich is housed in a cool renovated old mansion in Newport, KY. Owner, Trina Paul, specializes in making people beautiful for weddings, senior pictures, business headshots and more, but what I love is that she has opened her studio and her massive makeup collection to teach people, like me, who have no clue how to use it all.

Trina has worked for just about everyone…Lancôme, Bobbi Brown, Chanel, MAC, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney’s, Estée Lauder just to name a few. So with all of this knowledge, she makes it so much fun and she’s not out to sell the products (which keeps it fun and no pressure). You just go, enjoy, have fun and learn.

Everyone gets their own area at a group table. You have a little wine while Trina walks you through many techniques of applying makeup and what brushes to use. Like she says…”You are in control of your makeup experience and they will guide you through it in a way that’s fun.” I didn’t realize how clueless I really was until this class :)

You will end up chatting away with everyone around you and it’s fun to see the transformation and how everyone’s look is so different from each other. In my group, some wanted a prom glam look with more dramatic makeup, while others wanted a natural look. She personally guides everyone through the process. Somehow with a room full of women- drinking wine- she got her point across without interrupting the fun atmosphere.

The bonus is… when you are finished and look amazing, you get to keep the cool set of brushes AND you get to do a photo shoot! They have a professional photographer that takes a few pics and emails them to you later. Thank you Trina and to your cute mom. I had a blast!

Things to know:
• 821 York St. Newport, KY
• She is doing lash extensions soon
• Gift cards are available
• You get to try so many different products without pressure to purchase
• You can customize a party for you and your friends
• Thank you to photographer Remy Dominguez for the photoshoot picture

Some other cool ideas for Mother’s Day
• Memberships to local gems in the city like Mercantile Library… here is a link to my write up.
•Taft Museum membership
•Cincinnati Art Museum membership

All of these wonderful places have really cool events all year long so it’s a gift that keeps on giving!

A few other thoughts or ideas…
• Take her to make a candle at Manitou Candle Co. Link here for my write up.
• A cooking class at Tablespoon Cooking Co. they have some great classes coming up!
• How about an event at Marmalade Lilly.. pick your own flowers or go for a tea! Link herefor write up
• Make something fun at AR Workshop… click herefor write up.

Three New Cincinnati Hot Spots!

Three New Cincinnati Hot Spots!

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Just when you think we have so many good places to experience more pop up! I’ve discovered three new and delicious places for you to check out. I just love sharing these surprises.

Sacred Beast
1437 Vine St.
This is your new upscale diner with an awesome vibe, great music, fab food and late hours.

Jeremy & Bridget Lieb have opened their doors for us and we should be very happy! These two met as youngsters while working at Cincinnati’s iconic Masionette, traveled around from Vegas, Atlanta and more and then brought all their knowledge back to Cincinnati…Thank you!!


This funky diner style restaurant has move in your seat tunes that are pumped out from a reel to reel system with old school speakers, cool cozy booths and seats at the bar. My fave are the seats at the “chefs table” the back bar where you can watch everything being made. They even have a great outdoor area if it ever gets above 50 degrees here.


Instead of a separate breakfast, lunch and dinner menu it’s the same menu all day, so you can decide if you want breakfast for dinner or not… bam!


Their slogan is “Simple Food Taken Seriously” and I agree. I went twice last weekend just to do some research ;). On my 1:00am visit I needed and devoured the burger which I can describe as a gourmet White Castle (and I mean this in the BEST way). I also indulged on the hash browns with a gravy on top that is so good you want to drink. The deviled eggs are on point and please try the Matzo Ball soup!

They have a late night special called the Happier Hour …single burger, pint of Hamms beer and a shot of Evan Williams for $15. They have a great selection of beers on tap as well as white, red & rosé also on tap and a killer cocktail menu. A a full bar with custom shots!

• What’s in the name? Sacred is their dedication to hard work and Beast is what they deliver from the kitchen!

Hours: Monday – Thursday 11AM – 1:00AM
Friday 11AM – 2:30AM
Saturday 10:30AM – 2:30AM
Sunday 10:30AM – 1AM

Boomtown Biscuits & Whiskey
1201 BroadwaySt.
Biscuits made for a meal! This hip restaurant with a western feel and biscuits to die for, is located in the middle of Pendleton which is quickly becoming the new hotspot! “Contemporary take on classic American frontier food” and that it is.


The brainchild of Chef Christian Gill and owner PJ Neumann, Boomtown is putting a whole new meal idea on your plate and it’s as amazing as Christian’s hair! Besides having the best color changing hair he is an expert biscuit maker and learned as a little boy in his grandmother’s kitchen along with his mother (they should both be ecstatic that all of those skills have paid off). Fun fact… is Christian appeared on Food Network’s “Guy’s Big Project” with Guy Fieri!


PJ grew up with the same experience learning how to cook with his mom. He started working washing dishes at age 14 eventually going to college to learn the business side of things his love for cooking stuck with him. So, this duo is a perfect match in my opinion. Fun fact… PJ collected all of the cool antique décor that is displayed in the restaurant. Everything has a story, just ask!


The idea of Boomtown pays homage to the Gold Rush of 1849. Biscuits were the food that fueled prospectors. I can’t imagine that they were as good as Boomtown!

There is no way that you will leave without a full belly and a great experience. The Yukon is a must – it’s a melt in your mouth biscuit with friend chicken, gravy, smoked cheddar, bacon and, of course, you have to add an egg… duh! Hidalgo’s is not a biscuit, but it’s damn good with chilaquiles, poached egg, gravy, ranchera, pico and a cumin lime crema. Uggh, I’m so hungry after writing this!

The cocktails are innovative and delish…even one with gold dust on the rim.


Take a look around the decor details as they are fantastic. The gold vein paint that runs throughout the restaurant is a fun element carried out in the bathrooms, too. The gold bar utensils are so cool and showcase the theme.

Hours: Friday 7AM -10PM
Saturday 9AM – 10PM
Sunday 9AM – 3PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday –Thursday 7AM – 9PM
Photos courtesy of Boomtown*
Injoy
1400 Republic St.

Good vibes great people! First, you will know you are getting closer when you get a hint of the mouth watering aromatic smell that drifts out to the street of the new Injoy!

This amazing Indian inspired spot will make you feel healthy and you will leave with a smile because that is how they want it!

Brothers Phillip and Ben, along with childhood friend, Ramaldo kept throwing around ideas on what they wanted to do with their future. They had a few ideas but kept coming back to the idea that there is no fast Indian food in Cincinnati. The boys did a dreamy trip of sailing in the Mediterranean for a few weeks. That led to a little soul searching… reading books, exploring and thinking of what to do next. They just kept coming back to the Indian food idea and thought this is it.


They love the OTR scene and thought it would be perfect for a walk-up window type place. So they fused all ther ideas and came up with basically a take-away place with a small eat in area. After success in Findlay Market and a food cart where they set up at different events, they perfected what they were doing and knew it’s what people liked.

Injoy which the name is a combo of Indian + joy = Injoy … perfect!

It’s Chipotle style. You pick your bowl or wrap and walk it through adding your favorite things. This is going to be hard because I tried all three sauces and literally couldn’t decide because they were all so good. Everything has so much flavor you will love it. They also offer salad, garlic naan, Daal soup (has a kick, but so good), and the apple pie bite is the topper…just the right size for a little treat.

This is the perfect place to pick up some food and head over to Washington Park for a picnic! It’s great just to have a healthy and unbelievably fantastic meal on the go. They also offer catering!

Ben says the food is obviously important, but what is equally important is good vibes. He wants people to come in and leave with some pep in their step. He wants to brighten their day. His smile says it all and you will see how genuine he is in his eyes. With a motto like “Take a moment to be in the moment “ you just gotta love them.


•Beer and wine coming soon!
•FYI Almost everything is vegan but don’t let this scare you… It’s so dang good I wouldn’t have even known!
Hours: Monday Closed
Tuesday –Thursday 11:00AM – 2:30PM, 4:30PM – 8:00PM
Friday 11:00AM – 2:30,PM 4:30PM – 9:00PM
Sunday 11:00AM – 9:00PM