Buzz or Buzz ?
Do you need a haircut? Or maybe just a damn good cup of coffee? Well, you have to check out the adorable retro barbershop, Ferrari Brotherson Garfield Pl.
This is the cutest story about two sets of brothers keeping a family dream alive.
Brothers #1: After migrating from Calabria, a little town in Italy, Fausto & Emilio Ferrari worked at Angelo Brunos’ small, three-chaired barbershop for 50 years. When they arrived in the U.S., one of the common trades to get into was the barber business, so they learned the trade…and the rest was history.
Brothers #2: When Emilio passed away in 2015, his two grandsons Tony and Austin didn’t want to give up the family business that had been such a part of their lives and their heritage, so Ferrari Brothers became their own.
Tony and Austin have no idea how to give someone a “high and tight,” but they do know something about the restaurant business. Tony owns the Hillside Supper Club in San Francisco, and Austin is the sommelier. They also own Provender––a coffee shop in Potrero Hill. Provender recently hosted a Cincinnati style chili pop up. Love that these boys are sharing our Cincy favorites! So, though the boys don’t live in Cincy anymore, they still have family and a part of their heart here where they grew up.
They spruced up the shop without taking away the character. The day I came to visit, they were finding all kinds of treasures in the backroom like great old pictures and their grandpa’s shaving tools are now which are now displayed throughout…like a mini museum.
The front area is a tiny espresso bar, and everyone is encouraged to come in grab a coffee and look around. And, if you need to grab a haircut, get a coffee buzz and a hair buzz all at once! You’ll feel like you’re in an old movie, where guys just hang out and shoot the breeze in the old barbershop. So stop by and do it! If you’re like me you’ll leave with a smile.
5 Garfield Pl.
•Haircuts start at $20
Tuesday – Friday 10 -7
Saturday – 9-3
Coffee shop Monday-Friday 8-2:30
•Coffee is locally brewed Deeper Roots
•Try the Gibralter- a double shot of espresso poured over milk !
•They are working on a second location. An airstream coffee shop!
•Check out the original chairs. Designed by Cincinnatian Eugene Berninghaus. They were the first chairs to spin and recline at the same time! Game changer!
Giveaway Day #4
Winner of the outing at Manitou Candle Co. is…….. Stephanie Breitling !! Congrats and enjoy. You’ll love it.
My next Favorite Thing is a no-brainer…The Cincinnati Zoo! Not only is it home to the most popular hippo in the world, Fiona, but also has a great new indoor Gorilla World exhibit and one heck of a light show going on.
I was lucky enough to talk to our famous King of the Jungle Thane Maynard about the new Gorilla World!
Giveaway Day #3
Spinning hopper…. drawing two names… I hope you both enjoy all of these great places as much as I do! The two lucky winners are:
Jennifer MacLeid Qotb- Urban Grill and Nights of Lights
An Nguyen- Pleasantry and Nights of Lights
Giveaway #3
This is going to be so much fun, I might have to join the winner! One lucky person gets to take 3 friends to make your own candles at Manitou Candle Co. a perfect gift for Christmas. You could either make candles for someone or give the gift of an experience!
You can pick your scents from a huge selection or blend scents to create your own. And you get to be a chemist (well…sort of…because you mix the liquids, put in the wick, make the label, create a name for your creation… the whole ball of wax! Hahaha pun intended!) Whomever you choose to take, I promise you’ll have a wonderful time! They also have some cute gifts in the shop so you can knock out some shopping while you’re there.
Read my blog post HEREabout my day at Manitou Candle Co.
More to come tomorrow!
Giveaway #2
Oh what fun it is…to give my favorite things to you! Congratulations Emily Yungblut who won the $100 gift card to Liberty Center.
Today’s giveaway will have two winners! Two lucky Hey Michelle followers will win a pass for Coney Island’s Christmas Nights of Lights to enjoy with your family, and each winner will also get a gift card for dinner at one of two restaurants. Like my fb page and tag a friend to enter. I will pick the winner Tuesday morning and then tell you about giveaway #3.
Christmas Nights of Lights––which is running now through January 1st––is a drive-thru light show that’s synchronized to music you play on your car radio as you drive through the two miles of wonderful light displays. This year they’ve added an extra half mile so there are two and a half miles of Christmas fun!
Read my blog from last year HERE.
In addition, one winner will receive a gift card to Pleasantry in OTR. This quaint hip spot serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll enjoy the delicious and creative menu while sipping on some great crafted coffees or a fine wine. You can hold on to your gift card, wait for a warmer day and hangout on the patio.
Read more about Pleasantry in my blog post HERE.
Another winner will enjoy Urban Grill in Newtown. This popular neighborhood restaurant, in the heart of Newtown, is located in a cozy remodeled farmhouse. You can enjoy lunch or dinner Wednesday–Sunday.
Read more about Urban Grill in my blog post HERE.
Giveaway Time! Read now
I’m so excited today…I get to start my Hey Michelle’s Favorite Things Giveaways!
Thank you all for being such great followers of my blog. To show appreciation, I’ve reached out to some of my favorite places, and I’m now able to give all of you the chance to win a little something and hopefully check out some of the fantastic places I’ve written about.
So here’s the deal. If you’re on Facebook (and haven’t already done so) please go to my Hey Michelle page and like it so you can be in the loop. When I post about a giveaway simply tag a friend! (If you could share it on your FB page, that would be great too.) If you aren’t on Facebook, please send me an email, and I’ll enter your name in each drawing.
I really love giving the perfect gift to someone so this is going to be so exciting!
Todays giveaway is a $100 giftcard to Liberty Center!! Whooop Whoop!!!!
I’ve done many posts on this area…and for good reason. They have everything you need. Amazing shopping, great restaurants, a top-of-the-line movie theater, the best Dillards in town, hotels, Funny Bone comedy club and just an adorable area to go check out.
During the holidays they have this unbelievable giant Christmas tree that changes colors to the music and you can walk through the tree and check out the manger scene. They offer carriage rides on the weekends, and what says holidays more than a horse drawn carriage? Santa has quite a spot inside the Foundry. To make it easy, you can reserve your spot in line so no waiting with your restless children! $5 for a 5×7 or you can snap a pic on your phone for free.
Liberty is also celebrating Chanukah this year on December 14th at 5:30 with a menorah lighting ceremony. They are also providing light snacks and refreshments. I love this idea and including all the great things celebrated during this time of year.
Here are some links to previous post about Liberty in case, by some chance, your computer blew up or you were trapped under a heavy object and didn’t have a chance to read these Hey Michelle posts. :)
click here
A few shout outs for you gift giving:
• Jake’s Toggery for all your preppy peeps
• It’s Sugar for your gag gifts and some really huge candy bars and other fun stocking stuffers
• Celebrate Local has fun Ohio gifts made from different vendors
• Hanna Andersson for your matching family p.j’s for Christmas Day
• Homage for the softest throwback designed clothes for you Ohio sports fans
• Rookwood Pottery for that hard-to-buy-for person
• FC Soccer gear and tickets! They sell game tickets and a few FC items to go with it. Pick these up at the information center.
Grab some really yummy food at:
• Northstar Café…so dang good and has a friendly bar staff
• Cantina Laredo…if you love Mexican this is your place
• Flip Side Burgers…what more can I say!
• Bar Del Mar…a fun casual kitchen with a beachy atmosphere. Really great bar here also… :)
These are just a few stops I recommend on top of all the many, many stores available at Liberty. I’m sure you get the idea that your experience at Liberty will be a fun full day or night!
Don’t forget to tag a friend and share my post for your chance to win! I’ll announce the winner when I post tomorrows giveaway.
WinterFest is Back!
You can see it from the highway. A huge Christmas tree that changes patterns and colors. The excitement builds. It reminds me of when I was little, and we went to Kings Island once a year (if we were lucky). We’d get off the highway, and my stomach would flutter knowing weed be there all day!! When I saw the Eiffel Tower lit up like a huge Christmas tree, I got exited all over again. Just like when I was a kid (well… because I kind of still am :).WinterFest has come back after years of absence due to ownership changes. Let me tell you, they’ve brought it back 10 times better with sugar on top! They’ve used over 5 million lights, and it’s spread out over 180 acres of the park. You walk in and instantly everyone whips out their phone to start taking pics. The Royal Fountain is transformed into a magical ice skating rink. All of the stores are open, and all the merchandise has been changed to Christmas items. The restaurants are open with a few special holiday sit down places.While you’re walking around to hit one of the many shows or one of the 17 open rides, you’ll run into strolling characters––like Jack Frost or Ms. Sparkles––ready for a picture or a brass band and carolers performing throughout.The kids’ area has the Peanuts characters ready to high five you and a little show on stage. There’s a live Nativity scene with a bunch of animals that everyone can feed and pet while someone is singing Christmas songs on stage. Also in the kids’ area, you can visit with Santa. Or, if you want to bring your wish list, you can take it to the elves who will help you put it in the special mailbox for the North Pole.Don’t miss WinterFest Way behind the Eifel Tower. It’s decorated with lights and music plus a 40ft. tree. There’s Candy Cane Lane which has the cutest gingerbread houses and giant lollipops. If you’re still looking for that great photo for your Christmas card, this is the place to do it! They have so many photo backgrounds. I love the giant snow globe or the sleigh that you can stand in… really the whole place is a photo backdrop!
Other fantastic highlights include the ice sculptures that are made every night and shopping under the Eifel Tower. All prizes at the games are Christmas-themed. You can dance the night away with the D.J. and dancing elves over in Coca-Cola Plaza. Or make cookies with Mrs. Claus. And ohhhhh yes…snow! It snows every night! Ok, ok…you get the picture. It is a fun time, I promise!As you can tell, I’m a big fan of this Winter Wonderland. I walked around with a smile on my face the whole time. It was so fun to have my 3 yr. old niece with me so I could see her face light up.
Hours:
Friday-Sunday 5 p.m.-10 p.m.
Starting December 16th open everyday until December 30th except the 24th and 25th.Gates open at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and 4:30 p.m. other daysThe park “lights up” at 5:30 p.m.Tickets:
•Save $10 per ticket if ordered online
•If you buy a Gold Pass for next year you get a free night at WinterFest
•If you have a friend with a Gold Pass be nice to then because they can take you at a discount ;)
• You can buy souvenir cups, then get $1 refills on your drinks (good hot chocolate)
• Parking is extra
• Check herefor pricing. They have many different options (even tickets that include meals)
Ya’ll Sound Good!
I love doing my blog for many reasons, but the best part is talking to new people and learning about things that are new to me.
I just got off the phone with Dudley Connell, the lead singer and guitarist for the Bluegrass band Seldom Scene. This Grammy-nominated band––that’s been making iconic music since 1971––is coming to Cincinnati to play at Memorial HallSaturday November 18th.
Seldom Scene has maintained a huge following through the years, making more than 20 albums and transitioning through multiple members. Though they’ve kept true to their music, they also add rock, country and even pop to their shows. Additionally, they’ve collaborated with Emmy Lou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Jonathan Edwards and more.
After listening to their music and watching videos of their performances, you just want to grab a beer, throw on a flannel and escape into their music! Smooth voices and fast banjos…doesn’t get much better!
Here’s my conversation with Dudley:
Q: How do you describe Bluegrass music?
A: Legendary Folk artists Allen Lomax and his dad John once described it as “Folk music in overdrive”. Seldom Scene has taken old folk music and brought it new life. We do all kinds of stuff like James Taylor, Eric Clapton, Stanley Brothers and Bill Monroe.
Q: You’ve been together for more than 40 years. How do you think you’ve kept the band together for that long?
A: Well, that’s kind of funny. I believe one of the reasons the band has stayed together is because we don’t ride on the bus together weeks at a time. We travel separately, and we have separate hotel rooms. Sometimes we eat together sometimes we don’t. So when we see each other we are genuinely happy to see each other. It’s like our weekly card game.
Q: What gets you jazzed about performing?
A: Smiling faces! It’s great to see people happy to be there. There’s nothing like the energy that you can get back from people having a good time.
Q: Ron Stewart is starting with you on this tour. He’s taking over for Ricky Simpkins. What do you think he’ll bring to the band?
A: Well, he filled in when Ricky was having a medical emergency awhile back. He came in and “fit like a glove”. It’s like he’s always been there. It’s the most wonderful thing.
Q: Why do you think Bluegrass is continuing to have such a following? When I was at a music festival a couple months ago, there was such a young crowd jamming to the Bluegrass bands.
A: It seems like it goes in waves. Back in the 60’s, the Bonnie & Clyde movie used Foggy Mountain Breakdown by Earl Scruggs in the chase scenes. Then a few years after that, Deliverance came out with the dueling banjos. Then Alison Krauss came along, and she gave it a shot in the arm. She’s a country music star with bluegrass as a backing. The jam band thing––with a bunch of kids coming along using bluegrass with a ton of energy––is like a mix of bluegrass and rock and roll.
Q: Will you be mixing it up by singing “covers”?
A: Yes, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and things like that. I’ve never judged music in categories. A good song is a good song. A good song stands the test of time.
Q: If you guys could have anyone dead or alive join you on stage who would it be?
A: That’s a tough one! Bill Monroe, Carter Stanley, Hank Williams or Jimi Hendrix.
Q: You play guitar, so how many do you take on the road with you?
A: Well, I only bring one! I have a very cool old guitar. It’s a 1943 Martin D-28 Herringbone that I’ve playing since 1983. It’s hard for me to part with it because it is part of who I am.
This is a great opportunity to check out an amazing band at the newly renovated Memorial Hall in OTR!
I love going to concerts. I mean LOVE, and sometimes I go just because I want to see someone new. I very rarely leave a show without some appreciation for the band and the music they create. These guys have to be doing something extremely well to be going strong for over 40 years. This is one “card game” I would like to watch being played!
Details:
Memorial Hall in OTR Saturday November 18th 8:00
Click herefor tickets
Tour dates click here
A couple songs I’ve been jamming to while writing…
Appalachian Rain
Wait A Minute
This Little Piggie Went to the Market!
I’m always surprised to meet locals who’ve never been to Findlay Market. It’s such a treat to walk the markets, get fresh produce and check out meats you never knew existed. You’ll bump into chefs from local restaurants buying their goods. It’s just a cool vibe that makes you feel like you’re really in a big city :) I could go on and on but will save that for a future Findlay blog.
One thing about Findlay is that after you buy your meat, seafood and veggies, you think you still need to go to a grocery to pick up the remaining needs for your meal or to get your household items. Well, now you can just go across the street to The Epicurean Mercantile Company (1818 Race St., adjacent to Findlay). It’s the hippest urban grocery ever and has everything you need…from cleaning supplies to what owner and chef Louis Snowden says is the best Pimento cheese and everything in between! The convenience of the market for downtowners and OTR residents is fantastic, located on the streetcar route and next to Findlay lots.
Not only is a very-large-but-quaint-as-heck market stocked with all necessities, it also has a great stock of local products and gift items. Oh, and I’m not finished! The best part… it has a restaurant in the back called The Counter. You can dine in or carry-out at this awesome American Bistro. You order on ipads and pay out at the order station, then watch them make your freshly prepared order.
The experts behind the bistro and store are Louis Snowden and Meredith Trombly. This team of trained chefs met when they both worked at Biggs and are proud owners of Fresh Table in Findlay. (If you haven’t stopped by Fresh Table do yourself a favor and go. Yummy food to grab and go but totally different items than The Counter). EMC is a combination of everything they know well!
Louis said the menu was inspired by a blast-from-the-past restaurant––Hamburger Mary’s––which used to be a hot spot downtown. He was a chef there back in the day ;) It was an iconic place with a great selection that’s reflected in the menu at The Counter. He says his favorite thing right now is the quesadilla! Although, looking at the menu I can say there might be a few “favorites” in my book.
Scoop:
When they were remodeling, they were working on the basement and, while digging, the floor caved in. When they went to look, they found a sub-basement with high ceilings, tunnels and beer vats from the 1800’s still there just left behind. You are able to view these now on the beer tours available in OTR.
Fun Facts:
Louis, among all his other attributes, is also an avid cellist and pawned his beloved cello to open Fresh Table. (Don’t start a Go Fund Me just yet. He has since purchased one)
Meredith is a lover of “Hello Kitty” and has a huge collection of over 400 cookbooks!
Hours: Market is open everyday 8:00 a.m- 8:00 p.m. The Counter is open 11:00 a.m-7:00 p.m. There’s a “happy hour” for the food menu with 18% off from 3:00-6:30
Check out all the local products! Shout out to Urban Blooms for the amazing Living Walls!
