Who Needs Italy when you can make your own Limoncello!

Seriously…who doesn’t like Limoncello?  I tried it for the first time in 2010 when I visited a variety of Cities in Italy and fell in love.  It’s sweet, lemony and delicious!  It’s so easy to make your own…why didn’t I do this years ago!

Here’s the finished product.  It lasts for a year or two, so no need to drink it fast.  And I can always give them as gifts!

DSC_3442

Here’s the recipe…take 7 large lemons…organic is better and a liter (about 4 1/4 cups) of vodka.  I used Sveda Vodka.  It’s good quality and reasonably priced.

DSC_3119

Take a vegetable peeler and peel the zest.  Be careful not to  peel too deeply because you don’t want the bitter white pith of the lemon skin.  Add the zest to the alcohol, cover with plastic wrap, and place somewhere cool for a week.

On Day 6, make a simple syrup with 5 cups of water and 3 cups of sugar.  Boil the water and add the sugar to the boiling water.  Stir the sugar until it is fully dissolved in the water and then let it cool over night.

On Day 7, strain the lemon peels from the alcohol,  pour the alcohol into the simple syrup and stir well.

Serve chilled, from the refrigerator or freezer.

DSC_3122

How easy is that!

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

21c Museum Hotel and Gilpin’s Steamed Sandwiches

Walking through the 21c Museum Hotel is an experience not to be missed in Cincinnati!  Friday night, my friend and I began our evening attending the Art after Dark event at the Cincinnati Art Museum, followed by Final Friday at the Pendleton Art Center in Over the Rhine, and finished the evening with a walk through the trendy 21c Museum Hotel, and a yummy steamed sandwich at Gilpin’s Steamed Sandwiches next door!  By the time I got home, it was almost 2:00am!  But it was worth it…we had fun.

The next few images are pieces of art you will discover at this boutique hotel

DSC_3350

Continue reading

Final Friday at Pendleton Art Center

Final Friday at Pendleton Art Center is always a fun and interesting event in Cincinnati.  If you read yesterday’s post, you’ll remember I started my evening by attending Art after Dark at the Cincinnati Art Museum with my new friend, Jena.  It was a night filled with art and fun!  After that I drove to Over the Rhine, where the Pendleton Art Center is located and began looking for a parking spot.  I told Jena I felt lucky and drove up a side road next to the Center.  Up ahead was a vehicle with its brake lights on, so I pulled alongside, opened Jena’s window and asked the guy behind the wheel if he was leaving.  He said he was trying to, but couldn’t get his SUV out of the parking spot.  Jena offered to help and stood outside trying to guide him.  I could tell we may be there a while, so I put my car in park, jumped out and offered to do it for him.  He said, “Sure”.  Within 20 seconds I had his vehicle on the road and he thanked us.  I then parallel parked in the spot and we were on our way!  I know what you’re thinking.  That may not have been the safest thing to do, especially in that area of town, but I had a gut feeling that it was OK.

Jena had never been to the Pendleton Art Center and was a bit overwhelmed with how much there was to see on eight levels of the old building!  Here are a few my favorites…

DSC_3308

Oh…and here’s the beautiful and stylish Jena.  She’s my height, 5′ 10″ tall, so it was nice to hang out with another tall lady!

DSC_3324

Continue reading

Art After Dark at the Cincinnati Art Museum

If you’re looking for things to do in Cincinnati, I suggest stopping by the Cincinnati Art Museum for their monthly Art After Dark event.  A new friend and I made that our first stop last night and enjoyed watching the salsa dancing and wandering from room to room to view paintings, sculpture and other types of art on display.  If you’d like to avoid the $4.00 parking fee, and don’t mind walking 3-5 minutes, there’s a free lot for use.

Upon arrival, I noticed Pinocchio with his arms reaching towards the sky, as if in wonder…

DSC_3261

Continue reading

First Attempt at Capturing Cincinnati Skyline at Night

Last night after giving the second part of my African presentation to my Travel Spirit Meetup group, I was driving home, took a wrong turn and ended up at the river.  I’ve been wanting to get some photographs of the Cincinnati skyline at night, so I took the opportunity and set up my tripod, while my car was still running, pulled over to the side of the road.  My settings were on F8, 6 secs., and 100 ISO.  I didn’t have my remote with me so I used the 2 second timer.  They’re not quite as clear as I’d like, although it’s a good first attempt.  It may have been because I still had my internal stabilizer switched on.

DSC_3254

I think it was a good reminder that we need to be flexible when we’re traveling through life when opportunities present themselves!

DSC_3257

Next, I want to take a bracketed or HDR photo with my Nikon!

Enhanced by Zemanta

Using Husband as Model for Photo Shoot

My husband graciously agreed to be my model for a quick photo shoot over the weekend.  I took about 15 photos and narrowed it down to these three.  It’s fun using Lightroom 5 for editing and the creativity involved…

This photo is my favorite.  I call it “Nanook”…

DSC_3093

Continue reading

Pet Photography — “My cat is so pretty”

I think my Cat, “Kate” is so photogenic and I don’t think I’m biased!  She loves me and I love her!  We trained her to go in and out of the doggie door to use the restroom!  At night, she’s able to roam around the living room and nap in her bed that I placed on top of a high table.  We keep our bedroom door shut and every morning, sometimes as early as 4:00am, she would come to the door and meow to get me up.  Now, I have a large piece of foam insulation board blocking the hallway.

DSC_3081

I love my dog Jake too…but it’s more difficult to get good shots of him!

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

Replace Complaints with Gratitude

Everyone is complaining about the snow…but I still think it is so beautiful!  Here are some photographs I’ve taken in the last few days in my yard with a variety of light.  Let’s replace the complaints with gratitude…

DSC_2832

Shortly after sunrise this morning…

DSC_3047

An hour later…

DSC_3052

I pray that homeless people find shelter during this extreme cold!  Make it a great day!

 

Enhanced by Zemanta

Still Life Photography Fun

I’m doing my taxes today and wanted a distraction for a bit, so I took some still life photography of a few items around my home.  I took the shots with the sunlight streaming in through the glass paneled front doors.  This was my favorite…apples in liquid…

DSC_3018

Continue reading

Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park isn’t just for kids

Last night, my husband and my Cousin joined me for some indoor trampoline fun at Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park in Cincinnati, Ohio.  As you can see, we loved it.  It’s great exercise and a wonderful alternative for an adult instead of going to have a drink!  An added bonus…none of us got hurt!

DSC_2870

Continue reading

Rhinegeist Brewery Prohibition Party

Accompanied by my husband, filling the roles of Chauffeur, security, and assistant, we drove 45 minutes from our home in Goshen, Ohio, last night..during a snow storm, to the Rhinegeist Brewery in Over the Rhine, Cincinnati for their annual Prohibition Party.  This was my third assignment for iSPYCINCY and my mission was to take between 40-50 total photographs to include..event attendees (including their names), some candid shots, and shots to show the event atmosphere.  In the course of 1 1/2 hours I was able to take a lot of photographs and narrowed it down to just over 60 to send to the editor.  The challenging aspect of this assignment was trying to hear people (while the band played) as they spelled their names for me.  For some of them, I just let them write their own names.

Here are a few of my favorites.  The young lady on the right is just glowing…

DSC_2798

Once I was home and looking through the photographs, I felt like I was back in the roaring twenties!

DSC_2766

Continue reading

Photo Shoot for Online Dating Services

Looking your best when you’re single is important when finding a companion or “love”!  I had the pleasure of taking photographs of a beautiful fifty plus friend today.  She’s what you call the “complete package”.  It was fun helping her pick out the most complimentary clothing and as you can see…she’s stunning!

DSC_2638

Her doggie is soooo cute!

DSC_2691

Continue reading

On the Street…Cincinnati, Ohio

I finished my second assignment for ISPYCINCY on Sunday.  I was to go to a heavy foot traffic area such as Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati or the Hyde Park area and take photographs of stylish/interesting looking people and ask them a series of questions.

I began in Hyde Park (there are a lot of upscale shops and restaurants in the area) and based on past experience, knew that most everyone would be a willing participant!  Here are a few of them…

I really like this girl’s style.  Casual and sporty…

DSC_2422

I was to collect their name, occupation, where they would like to be if they could be anywhere else in the world at that moment, what they most liked about Cincinnati, who or what inspired their fashion style, and if they had made a New Year’s resolution, what it was.

This lady is pregnant and was so cute.  She said she just had her hair done!

DSC_2419

Continue reading

Mallory’s Senior Photos

Today was so much fun because I spent the day taking photographs all over Cincinnati of a bright and beautiful young woman named Mallory for her senior photos!  We started off at Findlay Market (the oldest Farmer’s Market in Ohio), followed by Union Terminal, and ended at Fountain Square in Downtown Cincinnati!

This cool shot is at Findlay Market with fresh fruits and vegies in the background.  I just bought a new lens, a 50mm F1.8, and love how it blurs the background!

DSC_2464

This was her first time visiting Findlay Market and now she can’t wait to go back when she has more time to explore.  She’s the daughter of a friend, so I picked her up at her house and drove Downtown.  We listened to my I-Pod, which had a lot of songs on it that she loves.  I guess that means I’m cool!

Her first outfit was this very bohemian, hippy flash-back style, which I love!

DSC_2475

At Union Terminal I used my external flash for some of the shots…

DSC_2520

Continue reading

A Few Iconic Landmarks in Cincinnati

Cincinnati’s Music Hall has quite the history!  Completed in 1878, its reputation as one of America’s most haunted buildings comes as no surprise to many, given that it was built on top of a pauper’s cemetery.  I’m intrigued now and would love to take a tour in the middle of the night!

When I took the photograph on Saturday, it was quite cold and I’m sure I appeared a little crazy lying on the ground trying to capture the look I wanted…

DSC_2078-2

Cincinnati Music Hall is located in an area of Cincinnati called Over the Rhine and across the street you’ll find these beautiful Italianate Architecture style homes…

DSC_2084-2

Continue reading