Dream Dinners
I’m always writing about going out to dinner so I thought I would actually go out on a limb and write about eating at home! I’m trying out some new ways to make life easier in this department and thinking maybe one of them might be up your alley. This one will make you look like a chef every night, because you really do the work (though very little…but they don’t need to know).
Dream Dinners––with three locations in Cincinnati––is the most fun way to make dinners. You can go in, put together 12 meals (either 3 serving portions or 6 serving portions) and be out of there in about 60-90 minutes, depending on whether you’re there to hang with friends or bust a move.
So here is how it works:
You go online, make a reservation and pick the meals you want to make.
You literally walk in with an empty cooler and go to your individual cubby that has a list of the meals you previously picked. This little cubby is for all of your personal stuff.
You slap on an apron and go from station to station where every ingredient is available with the appropriate measuring utensil. There’s a recipe telling you what/how much to put in and is color-coded with the measuring spoons and cups. (literally they dumb it down so you can’t possibly screw up). Everything is put in zip lock bags so they then can be either frozen for about 3-4 months or cooked that night.
Then you leave with a cooler full of meals! Oh and they help you wheel it to your car and put it in.
As you are going through and adding ingredients you can eliminate things that your family may not like for example if it tells you to add onions and you don’t like them you just leave them out. Everything is included even tortillas if it is a Mexican dish so you don’t have 30 of them for a family of 2, and you don’t have to buy a jar of some random spice for just ¼ teaspoon.
This place is such great spot for couples to do together or if you have teens that want to get involved in the dinner making you can bring them along or you can do it with friends or just by yourself. It really makes getting dinner on the table a no-brainer. Take a meal out of the freezer, pop it in the fridge and, by the time you go to make it, it should be thawed and ready. It takes around 30 minutes to get the meal on the table.
This is just a great way to make your family a substantial meal with great taste…and you did it all! Even after a busy day at work or whatever, you’ll end the day knowing you fed your family a good home-cooked meal.
When I was in Dream Dinners making my meals, I asked a few people why they use DD. One was a grandma that was going to take care of grandkids while the parents were out of town. Another was going to a lake house for a week. She said it’s the best because the meals are crowd pleasers and everyone can go out on the boat and nobody has to stay back to get dinner ready. There were also young newlyweds…she travels for a living, so they come and make the meals so he has dinners while she’s gone, and he doesn’t make bad choices eating out!
I am telling you, this is worth a try and if this sounds like something you might like they are offering a special night at the Anderson location. You can choose 3 serving meals for $34.99 on Monday September 11th at 7:30! Click Dream Dinners password is “taste”.
The Chicken Parmesan that I made the other night was a hit at my house. If my youngest eats it that is a big deal!! It’s like the old Life cereal commercial…we all watch and wait and then scream “He likes it! He likes it!”
Things to know:
• Click Dream Dinners above to sign up the the meal deal for Monday Sept. 11th at the Anderson location.
• Locations: Anderson Towne Center – 7500 Beechmont Ave.
Harrison – 6507 Harrison Ave.
Blue Ash – 9715 Kenwood Rd.
•No prep and no clean up
• This plan averages out to be $5 a serving for either the 3 or 6 serving meals. The average customer spends under $200 per month! That should be enough to convince you.
• You can share some of your meals for a family member or a friend having surgery or a thoughtful delivery to a friend who has had a loss in their family. Once less thing to worry about is making dinner.
• No grocery shopping!!!! Helllloooo, that is the best.
• They sell really good sides and desserts and breakfast items to add to your order on the way out.
• Look at the menu ………. It has anything from fish, pork chops, steak and all different ethnic flavors.
Tell them Hey Michelle sent you! :)
Brown Bear Bakery
So, I skipped my favorite workout class to head on down to try Brown Bear Bakery, and it was worth every bit of missing my class!! Although, I probably gained a couple lbs. because I had to try everything but…life’s too damn short!
My husband and I checked in on Saturday so I could preview it. When you pull up, you feel like you are going to the hip spot in NY. You know, that spot everyone says you have to try because it’s a must-go place. There’s a little line out the door but it is worth it, trust me. When you open the door, you immediately experience the smell of pure goodness, and you anxiously wait for your turn to order. I think, with my couple of visits, I have tried most items. Not all, because some things will rotate in and out with seasons, so I will forever have something new to try!
Brown Bear is the labor of love of Blair Fornshell, her fiancé Chaske Haberkos (he handles sales) and her baking buddy Sami. This trio is working some serious magic on 13th St.
Blair, who started baking when she was young, worked (while in college) at Findlay Market. She was busting her butt baking all night and trying to go to culinary school full-time. She ultimately decided to start doing her own thing by selling to coffee shops and doing pop-ups at City Flea and other events. Through it all, she never lost sight of her ultimate goal…opening her own store. In 2015 she found this adorable corner spot. After a lot of work, it’s perfect…with its ceiling to floor windows, old re-done wooden floors and just the feel of an old-time, cozy bakery.
You’ll have a hard time picking what you want…Just sayin if you googled delicious BBB would pop up! The Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake is so soft with brown sugar melted inside. When you dig in, it’s like caramel oozing out…soooo good! The Cinnamon Rolls are hot and fresh with a perfect amount of icing and a pinch of orange zest. I love Matcha, so the Matcha Almond cake with vanilla bean glaze is perfect with a cup of coffee. The Blueberry Muffin is truly like no other! The Beareos (homemade oreos …yessss …please) Oh, oh, oh… and the scones…delish especially the Toasted Walnut Goat Cheese & Honey Scone…way better than it even sounded! Everything here is made with love and perfection. The trio is so friendly and adorable I could go on and on.
You must make this a priority on your list of things to do. Some items will, most likely, be staples. And others, like the muffins and scones, might change a bit with seasons. They are adding more to the coffee area soon and maybe some teas. All still in the works, but they already have a good cup of coffee offered. They are also figuring out how fast things are selling. They are baking fresh every morning, so know that if you wait to get there, things may be sold out. But I promise whatever is left is still AMAZING! All I have to say is they might get sick of seeing me, but I’m not going to be able to skip anymore workouts!
Things To Know:
• Best time to go Wednesday morning :)
•They currently have limited seating. Addition handmade furniture coming soon. There are a few tables inside and out and a standing ledge along the window.
• Follow Blair’s BBB pictures on Instagram...if they were just scratch and sniff it would be awesome! Her pics are yummy
•Parking on the streets, it’s worth paying an Uber to drop you off and wait :)
•What’s in the name? Blair’s nieces and nephews couldn’t say Blair so they call her Bear. She wanted to tie that in, so when she researched bears the Brown Bear fit with its description of “courageous, stands up to adversity, protective of its babies… and it sounded cute ;)
• You’re next to the famous “Lilly Wall” by local artist Cody Gunningham so be sure to take a pic!
• Photography by Amy Spasoff – Best photographer in town!
• Address:
116 E. 13th St.
• Hours:
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Wednesday – Friday 8:30am – until sold out
Saturday & Sunday -10:00 am – until sold out
What’s All the Buzz??
Take two wonderful things–– alcohol and ice cream––put them together, and what do you have? Buzzed Bull Creamery! Located in OTR at 1408 Main St.
The owners were so kind to let me come in just hours before the grand opening to do my first Facebook live interview and eat some delicious ice cream! So, thank you!!
First impressions mean a lot, and the seven masterminds behind Buzzed won me over! So did the ice cream. The hype and excitement is deserved!
How did this even come about? Kaitlyn & Colten Mounce were hanging out one night at their home in Florida eating ice cream and drinking cocktails, and they started thinking, “how can we combine these two fantastic things??” Why none of us have thought of this before is beyond me. :) They thought they were on to something, so they sold their house and cars and moved back home to Cincinnati. After about a year of testing and sampling in Mom’s kitchen with Colten’s brother , sister-in-law and another couple, they decided they’d mastered the mix and it was time to sell it!
So here’s the deal…it’s like Chipotle for boozy ice cream! You pick your ice cream or frozen yogurt, your mix-ins (chocolate chips, graham crackers etc.), then the alcohol (or not…you can go non-buzzed). The end is the best part. At this point, it’s all liquid, then it’s put in a KitchenAid mixer and blasted with liquid nitrogen to flash freeze the ingredients, making it extra creamy! So everyone gets to see their own concoction made before their very eyes! Kids will love this… non-buzzed of course ;)
If you have trouble deciding on what you want, they have specialty options that will change periodically. Some of the flavors include the Margarita , Rum & Coke and I had the Red Leg which is Strawberry, Vodka, Red Bull and graham cracker! Next on my list is The Bonfire (yes, it includes Fireball!). They also offer a “flight” which is four pre-made samples.
Things to know
• Due to liquor laws you cannot take the ice cream to go!! You must eat it in the store!
• Family Friendly!
• Over 20 flavors, over 20 mixes and both house liquor and top shelf are available
• Non-dairy option coming soon
• This is the world’s first made-to-order alcohol creamery!
• Pricing is as follows (includes one mix-in):
Non-Buzzed Small $4.59, Med $5.49, Large $6.49
Buzzed Small (1 shot) $6.69, Med (1 ½ shots) $8.79, Large (2 shots) $10.59
• Portions are BIG…and, yes, depending how much of a lightweight you are, you can get buzzed!
Hours:
Mon-Thurs Noon-11pm
Friday Noon-1am
Saturday 11-1 am
Sunday 11-11 pm
You can use your Parking app on the street. IF you don’t have this yet, get it! It is called Passport
Rise & Shine!
Wild Eggs
Breakfast spots are popping up all over, and that’s a good thing, because meeting people for breakfast/brunch has become the thing to do. You pass by any First Watch and Sleepy Bee, and there’s always a line.
The new place in town is Wild Eggs! It’s come to us after drawing quite a following and winning many awards in Louisville. “Best Bruch in Louisville 2016” and USA Today awarded them “Best Hot Brown in Ky.” The Oakley location opened last week, and I’ve already been there twice. (You know I had to check out a few items before I could give it two thumbs up… research my friends :)
Wild Eggs’ menu has something for everyone when it comes to breakfast and lunch.
The to-die-for items are the fresh squeezed OJ and the cinnamon rolls! Two cinnamon rolls with vanilla bean icing are made and served in an iron skillet. Do you know what that means?? Three warm centers…the very best part!!! A couple other things I tried were the Wild Mushroom Roasted Garlic Scramble…yum…and its heathy :) The quesadilla, Chile Verde Huervo Racheros were also good (but I love Mexican type breakfast food). I did love the Crabby Patty made with real lump crabmeat and poached eggs. Wow, what a treat.
They also have a coffee of the day and grits of the day. This place can only get better with one more thing…a liquor license! (coming soon) :) Imagine that OJ with a dash of champagne!
The next location is opening in Kenwood soon, then downtown in the Great American building. Be ready for a bit of a wait, because it’s that good! Or try to get a spot at the bar (first come).
Hand & Stone
Next to the awesome Wild Eggs is a new massage and facial spa. Hand & Stone. I went for a relaxation massage, and it was heavenly. It’s an inviting, serene spa offering many services, from Hot Stone massages to an array of facial treatments. Open 7 days a week. They also offer a membership if you want to go regularly. You can check it out now by winning a gift card for a free treatment of your choice. Just like and my facebook post and add a friends name to the comments! If you are not on fb just send me an email to be entered to win. I will pick a winner and announce it next week on my blog.
Wild Eggs– 3240 Vandercar Way
Hand & Stone– 3242 Vandercar Way
End of the season SALE!!! February 9th-11th
Mark you calendars for one of my sales of the year! A bunch of great stores combining there goods in one spot so shopping can’t get much better than that! Bonus is that 10% of all proceeds as well as the $5 door donation go to the Karen Wellington Living with Breast Cancer Foundation. Cocktails and appetizers provided. I love a give back ;) CO-OP7892 Camargo Rd.
Just read this and I also read Laine Moriarty’sother book Big Little Lies which is going to be an HBO series starting February 19th!
It’s almost here!
Tick Tock, my friends. I’m here to help with some last-minute ideas––both local and online.
• I am in love with a sock company based out of New York called Bombas. They have awesome colors and styles. The best part? For every pair you buy, a pair is donated to the homeless!! Love this! Order today to get them by Christmas.
• Think summertime when trying to think of a good gift. A really good one is a Ticketmastergift card for concerts at Riverbend, golf lessons or a pass for the neighborhood pool.
• Another give back item: If you have someone with an Apple watch the TOMScompany has great bands. For every watch band purchase, TOMS will help provide one year of solar light to a person in need! Awesome!
• If you have that person that says they don’t need anything and they don’t want any clutter, how about a good magazine subscription? So many from health, decorating to travel. Read it, then toss it or give it to a retirement center after you’ve collected a few…they love it! Kids also enjoy magazines, and they love getting mail. There are some perfect ones for the youngsters like Click and Cricket or Sports Illustrated for Kids. When the chaos of Christmas is over and they have lost the head to lego guy … they will love this gift every month.
• Sometimes people, like an older relative, may want something to look forward to. Give them a night out with a specific date so you don’t let time tick away and forget. Tell them you are taking them to a movie and dinner. It’s nice in the gray days of January to have something on the calendar. Keep a look for great new restaurants right here on my blog ;)
• Baby it’s cold outside! I recently visited the local company Fabulous Furs, and I can promise there’s a woman in your life who would love something from them! Go online and check it out or head to their showroom. They make faux furs, blankets, hats and so much more. They have a long list of celebrities they’ve worked with and movies and shows that have featured their furs! They have some great sales right now, so check it out. I recently got two, and I love them!! Hey guys if you call ahead and tell what you are looking for they will have some things ready for you when you stop in. The one on the right was in O magazine and on the show Empire!
• If you want to get some really special jewelry for someone, head to Hyde Park and check out Peek of Chic. You will make someone very very happy!! This isn’t jewelry you’ll see anywhere else. I promise! And they have so much more!
• If you have some time to kill, check out Etsy. You can find something for everyone, and you’ll probably get something for yourself :)
• Almost everyone likes a candle! So get a gift card for someone to go with a friend (or you) to the Candle Lab in OTR. Such a fun time to pick out your own scent…and you actually make your own candle!
• Ok, so I’m getting to that point where, when I’m at a restaurant, I have trouble seeing the menu . (Yikes, I hate admitting this in writing!) Anyway, I found these cool glasses called Thinoptics. They come in a very slim case and can stick to the back of your phone. This way they’re always with you because, let’s face it, we rarely leave home without a phone!!
• Looking for something festive to do? Check out the Krohn Conservatory. They have a great train set up for the kids and a miniature village featuring all the major buildings of Cincinnati. Great for the whole family.
• New place to eat…Gomez Salsain Walnut Hills. If you are familiar with Gomez in OTR, it’s the walk-up window connected to the bar Half Cut. Now Gomez has its own eat-in, and ohhhhhh it’s so good, my mouth is watering. The best is the turtle… A crunchy tortilla shell where you get to pick what you want in it! Amazeballs! Parking on the street or in lot on the side of the building. Full bar available…check out their signature fire margaritas. Hotties! ;)
• What to watch?? If you haven’t indulged yet, you MUST binge-watchThis Is Us. I’m telling you, it’s one of the best show on right now! Oh and FYI…it’s a tear jerker !
Whats up this weekend??
• Frenchie Fresh is open in Rookwood! Jean-Robertowns many of the hottest restaurants in town, and now you can go to one without it being a special occasion. He just opened restaurant Llast month and now this. He is one busy dude. His newest gem is a casual dining spot with fast service and fresh, organic food. It’s a great spot for lunch, eat in or carry out. Family friendly with an outdoor patio for your poochies (French bulldogs especially). I highly recommend the seafood & truffle mac & cheese! Burgers with tons of toppings, wonderful salads and of course French fries. Try dipping your fries in the “franch” sauce.. get it?? French ranch… trés fancy! Oui Oui ok I’m finshed that’s all I know. Located in the old Lime location in Rookwood. 3831 Edwards Rd.
• Baby giraffe just born at the Cincinnati Zoo. Second time in two months. Make sure you have space on your phone to take pictures. So cute! 3400 Vine St.
• Hungry for pizza? Tagliois your answer it is truly the best pizza in town. I’m not even a huge pizza person, yet I dream of this stuff. 3531 Columbia Pkwy.
• The obvious thing to do but a new location…Oktoberfest Zinzinnati! Cincinnati’s Oktoberfest is the biggest in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world outside of Germany. This year located on Second and Third St. (Sept. 16-18)
• Up for an adventure? The Ohio Renaissance Festivalruns through Oct. 23rd. You can see everything from knights to maidens walking around in character, to jousting and live sword fighting, while you gnaw on a huge turkey leg. Living Social has ahalf off coupon. 10542 E. State Rt. 73 Waynesville, OH 45068.
• This could be a two-fer…if you hit up the Renaissance Festival in your wench outfit, you could cut the skirt short, slap on some knee socks…now you have a dirndl and are ready for Oktoberfest..Prost!!!
• Cincinnati Balletpresents the Director’s Cut Sept. 16 & 17. The Aronoff Art Center, 650 Walnut St.
•If you haven’t attended an FC Cincinnatisoccer game, hit the game this Sat. Sept. 17th @ 7:00. Games are played at Nippert Stadium home of the U.C. Bearcats. (Girls, these players are adorbs, so if nothing else you can watch them!)
• The Saturday I look forward to every month.. City Flea at Washington Park. Tons of vendors selling everything from soaps, homemade dog treats, leather purses and jewelry to the dress shop that sell clothes right out of a truck. Seriously there is something for everyone. Come hungry because there are always food trucks. This is a great family outing.
Frenchie Fresh
Local is as Local Does
Call me excited! I am walking distance from my house to the coolest new brewery in town…Woodburn Brewery! They had a soft opening last weekend, and it was off the charts!
This place is definitely the most chic brewery in town. The amazing space sets pace for the amazing beers. Yes, the exposed brick–and as much of the original building that could be kept–is there, but they took it to another level. The copper bar and tile work is so cool. The light fixtures and tall glass doors with the awesome logo are like artwork. Speaking of the logo… a ton of thought and drafts went into designing it. The W is, of course, Woodburn, and the cool art deco-type Phoenix is underneath. The meaning behind the logo is the Phoenix rising from the ashes like the home of the brewery that is rising from debris. Thanks to Dennis’ wife Jennie for her design expertise, since she has been a director and producer in movies, a set designer for the Opera and currently designs the set and more for Crossroads Church Christmas show Awaited.
I sat down with Dennis Chacón and Chris Mitchell to get their story. Both with a brewing background–Chris’ years at Listermannand Dennis, active in home brewing–they wanted to start their own gig. They met by chance as Dennis was scoping out a spot in OTR. They started talking and, voila, the brewery was born. They continued their search exhaustively and found themselves back at the cool space on Woodburn (lucky for me). Previously a movie theater, bank and a dry cleaner built in 1909, this was the space for their dream.
There are 30 taps that will be pouring at some point. Currently, they are pouring 6 outstanding beers. My favorite is the Pineapple Saison, made with real pineapple (not too fruity, but light with a punch). I can’t wait to try the Steinpils. Lets just call it the Michael Phelps of beers!! It is a 4x Gold Medal winner in Germany. Dennis and Chris made friends with the brewer in Germany who let them have the exclusive rights for the recipe in the States. He even came over with an entourage of friends to try it. While they nervously sat around a table waiting for his reaction, he took a sip, smiled, then they killed a barrel between the group!
They like to maintain a local touch to their beers and even have bee hives on top of the building for the honey.
They will be adding four more, including the Steinpils, for the Grand Opening on August 26th. They will eventually have guest beers and occasionally some seasonal changes.
As for now, you can order in food from local spots such as Suzie Wongs,Fireside Pizza, O Pie O, Cafe DeSales and Just Q’in…all right around the corner. As well, food trucks will be in the parking lot. If that’s not enough, they have plans for their own food in the future.
The Grand Opening is sure to be a fun night with DJ’s , food trucks and the sale of Growlers.
Getting to Know Them….
Have you met anyone famous in your life?
Chris said one day, while working on the bar in its beginning stages, the door opened and Emilio Estevez walked in. They chatted, and Chris gave him a tour. So… may be a future spotting when he is in town again!
Who’s your favorite author?
Dennis is such a fan of J.D. Salinger that his two daughters are named after characters from his books. Zoe named after a boy character Zooey in Franny and Zooey. Esmé from Esmé with Love and Squalor. Great names by the way!
Great News…
Cincy Brew Bus Tourhas added Woodburn to their lineup. Starting this Saturday, Woodburn will be the meeting spot, followed by Madtree, Braxtonand Taft Ale House. For $5 off a tour of the breweries, use code Brewburn16 for your future booking
Tips
Hours: Monday-Friday 4p-midnight and Saturday/Sunday noon-midnight, effective August 26th (But, if you see the lights on this weekend, stop in!)
Kid and dog friendly (how awesome is that?)
Great outdoor patio will be open soon
Make DeSales (the up and coming bar & restaurant neighborhood) a destination ! Myrtles Punch Houseis across the street, and The Growler House–is just around the corner
Great way to try a few at a time is the “flight of 3”: three 5 oz. pours of what you want to try for just $6
There’s street parking or a lot off Myrtle and next to Woodburn Brewery
Dumbing down the process of picking what beer you want :)
The two most common numbers you see posted under the name of the beer are ABV and IBU.
ABV is Alcohol By Volume. This is the description of the alcohol % in a beer, which can be around 2%-12%. (For example, Budwieser is 5% so 12% will get you there quick! J)
IBU is International Bitterness Unit. This measures the bitterness from hops in a beer and is rated on a scale of 0-100.
Example: IPA is very hoppy, like around an 80. Note that the bitterness can be effected by the malts. So a beer with higher IBU maybe like a stout, which is not bitter because of the sweetness of the malt that balances it out.
Hope this helps because it really helped me understand all those numbers
Click herefor a chart that might help you navigate what’s what in craft beer
Woodburn Brewery
2800 Woodburn Ave.
Cincinnati, OH 45206
