Join me for the last of our tour in Over the Rhine, located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
I meet people in the oddest places! This beautiful lady was in line to use the restroom at one of the bars I stopped in. She really liked the photo when I showed it to her and said she rarely has good ones taken. She was going to Facebook friend me to use the photo…but I haven’t heard from her yet. The first photo I took of her she was looking directly at the camera, so I asked her to turn her head slightly….voila!
There’s a bar in Over The Rhine (an area of town in Cincinnati Ohio) called Japps Since 1879 and I had been wanting to check it out, so I stopped in. It used to be a hair store. This is the head mixologist–Molly. I love her tattoos and style! And the bar is fabulous! It’s housed in a restored historical building with live music, yummy craft cocktails and a unique atmosphere!
Over the Rhine is amazing! Talk about an area of Cincinnati that has been revitalized! Just in the past year or two…so much progress has been made in turning this area into a fun, safe, historic and beautiful section of Cincinnati to visit. My girlfriend Gina and I arrived early Friday evening to walk around and enjoy the sunshine, along with warmer (50’s) temperatures. The architecture is beyond cool!
My Easter Day today was great! My son and his beautiful girlfriend (pictured below) spent the night and after a leisurely morning with coffee and internet time, I prepared some mushroom omelets and toast for breakfast. He’s really tall–like 6’9″–so he makes her look shorter than she is. We attended a new church today that’s very near our house and it was quite interesting. To give you some background. Although my family didn’t attend church, I attended church with a girlfriend when I was 12. And through the years have gone to a variety of churches…all different denominations…Presbyterian, Baptist, Church of God, Methodist, Catholic, Jewish, etc. I have my own personal beliefs, as everyone does. Anyway, the preacher at this particular church was quite loud and full of spirit. He was so loud on the microphone that I had to plug my ears with my fingers throughout much of the sermon (but I could still hear him). He would start off at a somewhat normal pitch and within a few sentences of each point would be almost screaming. He said that he knows that hell is real because on YouTube he saw a video showing a team of scientists drilling into the core of the earth and their drill bit began to wobble after they were deep into the ground. There are only two reasons a drill bit wobbles…either it is bent or you’ve reached an area without any matter…such as a cavern. They placed a microphone down into the hole and heard human voices screaming. Don’t get me wrong…I’m not poking fun at religion…merely repeating what I heard this morning. Enough about that.
The area known as “Northside” in Cincinnati has in the past had an image of being a bit rough, shoddy and perhaps dangerous, but that is changing! With the opening of vegan restaurants and quaint shops, a new clientele are flocking to the region. Some of the beautiful architecture can be seen within a short walk. I’m not sure if this is a church or a residence? I love the golden windows and purple!
The Best of Cincinnati is an annual event highlighting some of the best food and drink that Cincinnati has to offer. Last night it was held at the Bertke Electric Warehouse in Northside. The warehouse was a great place to take fun photos! Most of the windows were painted various shades of tan and brown and combined with the colorful lighting, resulted in creating a hip and eclectic look!
I’ve been a fan of The Danny Frazier Band for almost 20 years! They have a Bluesy Country sound that I love! I’m not a big fan of Country music, but I’ve always loved them! Anyway…my girlfriend Cindy and I went to hear them play at the Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana Saturday evening and of course I had to take lots of photos. When I saw all of the mirrors in the bathroom, I knew we had to have some bathroom fun…
Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg, Indiana is a beautiful Fantasy Land, where you can double your money in an instant…or walk away a pauper! It’s located almost an hour from my home, just across the border of Ohio into Indiana. I went there on Saturday evening with a girlfriend to see a band that we like. The last time I visited was almost 10 years ago, when I took my mother. I’m not a gambler. I only gambled $1.00 while in Las Vegas back in 2007. I’ve been taking my camera with me most everywhere I go now…because when I don’t…I wish I had! I don’t remember Hollywood Casino being this grand or pretty…perhaps they’ve renovated.
I had so much fun taking photographs in Lebanon, Ohio, while being a Tourist in my City! It really does make you feel like you’re on vacation. Visiting places you haven’t been in a while, looking through shops, taking photographs. A lot of the same things you do while on vacation! I went through so many shops in a few hours last Saturday, I didn’t take a card from all of them. So…..I don’t remember which shop these were from.
This wooden figure was less than a foot tall, but taken from this angle, it looks really tall! Also, look at how the arm is twisted…a little weird! It appears quite artsy to me.
I told the shopkeeper I really loved the floor. How it’s worn, and the color and design.
The only photo I included here from Beneath the Tree, another antique shop, was this one of Toby, the owner’s dog. I think I was starting to burn out on taking so many photographs in a short period of time.
The Pink Hippo is located a few doors down from the bulk of the other antique shops, therefore not as many people make their way to it. But as you can see, it’s beautiful!
A closeup of some of the cool architecture…
This used to be the local jail…
A colorful and slightly run down home in the area…
A cool warehouse a few streets over…
The L&M Railroad is fun to take a ride on. They offer a variety of scenic rides.
This concludes my mini tour of Lebanon. The City has a lot to offer…much more than I’ve shared!
I know some people love antiques and shopping in general. I’m not one of them. Perhaps because I don’t like a lot of clutter in my home (more things to dust) and as far as shopping…I usually go into a store knowing what I need to buy…look for it…buy it if I find it…and then leave. I’d rather spend my time doing any of the countless other things I love to do. Like hiking, biking, jogging, yoga, skiing, photographing, traveling, reading, dancing, socializing, etc. But I like this kind of shopping…looking for interesting things to photograph!
At Mulberry Street Antiques in Lebanon, Ohio, I found these cool boots…
Lebanon, Ohio has antiques! If you’re from the area…you probably already knew this. Lebanon is a quaint City with over 20,000 residents, located about 40 minutes North of Cincinnati. It was established in 1802. I spent a few hours walking from shop to shop on Saturday. I can’t believe its been 10-15 years since I’ve gone into any of the shops there and was surprised at how much it has grown!
Meet Chase…a real sweetie! I don’t remember the name of this shop, but I couldn’t forget him!
There’s a wonderful shop in O’bryonville, Cincinnati, Ohio called “Dwellings” and all of these photos were taken there. If you haven’t started a series on being a “Tourist in your City” yet, it’s fun and great exercise if you walk the areas! It’s also a great way to become a better photographer!
The necklace around this mannequin’s neck is actually curtain tie-backs. What a creative way to display them!
I found lots of fun and artsy things to photograph last week while being a “Tourist in my City” in O’bryonville, Cincinnati, Ohio! The next six photos were taken in a unique place called “The Art of Entertaining” and “Uncorked”, which is part of the former. “Uncorked” is the wine shop and bar section and “The Art of Entertaining” is the private events section. I’ve enjoyed a few of their Friday night wine tastings!
These cute guys were sitting on a ledge…
O’bryonville (a town within Cincinnati, Ohio) was the last stop for Thursday’s “Tourist in my City” adventure and it was my favorite! There are so many interesting shops and restaurants. The first three photos are from a shop called “Hemptations”. They’ve been in business since 1995 and sell a lot of products made from…you guessed it…Hemp!
Thursday was a sunny day in the 40’s here in Cincinnati, Ohio. I mapped a route on Google Maps, grabbed my camera and set off to explore and see what fun photographs I could find. I stopped in Mt. Lookout first and found a few interesting subjects and made my way to Columbia Tusculum. Both of these towns are on the East side of Cincinnati. If you’re in the area, I recommend having a burger at Terry’s Turf Club…shown below. I’ve met the owner a few times. His eccentricity shines through with his lawn decor! The atmosphere inside is very small and lively! Definitely have one of their blackberry martinis…they’re beyond yummy and if you drink two…there’s no telling what you might do!
Sherry Lachelle Travels 
