Once the turkey is eaten and the parade is over, what can you do with the rest of your holiday weekend? How about a fun and challenging scavenger hunt that takes you exploring through four Northern Kentucky neighborhoods?
The Finders Keepers Thanksgiving Weekend Scavenger Hunt is perfect for a family, couple or group of friends. With your Code Kit, you’ll have everything you need for up to four players. You can do the hunt any time between Thanksgiving morning and the evening of Sunday November 27th.
Explanation of the Scavenger Hunt
What the Hunt Entails
Put on your spectacles and thinking caps because the puzzles require sharp eyes and a clever mind. There are four neighborhoods included in the hunt: downtown Covington, MainStrasse Village, historic downtown Newport and Bellevue’s Fairfield Avenue entertainment district. Each neighborhood has several puzzles to solve, mostly based on the public art and architecture you’ll encounter.
You’ll find clues, crack codes and test your brain as you solve the puzzles and do the photo challenges. Submit your answers when you’re done, and you could win art from local artists and prizes from NKY businesses.
The puzzles are intended for smarty pants adults and kids ages 12 and up. Younger kids can help spot the clues and play in the park and open spaces included on the hunt.
Registration for Finders Keepers closes on November 18, so don’t delay. Reserve your Code Kit here. Proceeds help support the arts in NKY.
NKY Finders Keepers Scavenger Hunt Flyer
Jill Morenz is the Director of the NKY Public Arts Network. She is an enthusiastic evangelist for all things NKY.
Covington has a rich history and parts of it are pretty spooky. To celebrate the Halloween season, two local women are teaming up to share these creepy secrets with the curious.
The Spooky Secrets walking tours are around 90 minutes long and start on Covington’s riverfront. They end in the MainStrasse Village neighborhood, where guests can remain for dinner or drinks or, if they prefer, they can walk back to the starting point with the tour guide.
Spooky Secrets Tour – Covington, KY
Kathy Witt and Jill Morenz worked together to uncover the stories they share on the tours. Kathy Witt is the author of Secret Cincinnati, which highlights several dozen weird, wonderful or obscure places in Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati. Jill Morenz, Director of the NKY Public Arts Network, guides the tours.
What You Will See
During the 2-mile walk, you’ll learn the real identity of the Grey Lady of Carneal House and meet Captain Mary B. Greene, who meddled in the lives of her friends after she died. You’ll picture the chaos of a ravaged cemetery and find out why dogs won’t enter the basement of a former hospital. You’ll peek inside mystical and creepy shops and hear gory tales hiding behind things you see every day.
You will also receive a signed copy of Secret Cincinnati, as well as a special bookmark that serves as a checklist for the locations included in the book.
Spooky Secrets Tour Creepy Flyers
Tickets and Dates
If you love ghost stories, you’ll enjoy the Spooky Secrets tour! Individual tickets are $29.99 and include one book.
A pair of tickets costs $39.99 and includes one book for the two people to share. See available dates and purchase tickets here.
Jill Morenz is the Director of the NKY Public Arts Network. She is an enthusiastic evangelist for all things NKY.
If you haven’t been to Covington’s Latonia neighborhood in a while, you’re in for a treat! The Catalytic Fund’s popular Beyond the Curb Urban Living Tour is focusing their October 2nd tour in this charming area.
This will be the twelfth of these tours, which showcase the range of housing options in Northern Kentucky’s urban river cities, while encouraging you to explore the architecture, art and businesses that make the region so vibrant.
On the Tour
The October 2nd tour offers an exclusive peek inside more than a dozen interesting properties, including historic buildings, artsy renovations, cute bungalows and updated apartments. There will also be a few businesses on the tour that are using old buildings in new ways, such as an event venue in a “mansion” and a music performance space inside a decommissioned church.
As you walk along the pretty streets, you’ll come upon beautiful gardens, fun public art, quirky shops and inviting restaurants. Latonia is experiencing a rebirth, as new businesses open and young families move in.
Birdie’s Sweet Tea House and InnLatonia, KY Welcome SignThe Roost Sign
Latonia was an independent town from 1896-1909, when it was annexed by Covington. It is probably best known for the Latonia Racetrack, which was located at the current site of the Latonia Shopping Center on Winston Ave. The first race held there was in 1883 and the Latonia Derby debuted in 1888.The track closed in 1939.
This Beyond the Curb tour starts at the Roost Latonia, a quirky shop that serves coffee and cocktails. They also have an ever-changing stock of vintage or vintage-inspired art, home décor items, apparel and toys. On tour day, you’ll pick up your tour booklet, wristband and event bag there.
Beyond the Curb tours are a fun way to get to know the river cities a little better and experience urban living, NKY-style. Learn more about the Latonia tour here.
Beyond the Curb Flyer
Jill Morenz is the Director of Community Initiatives and Communications for the Catalytic Fund and also runs the NKY Public Arts Network. She is an enthusiastic evangelist for all things NKY.
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September is Bourbon Heritage Month and Cincinnati is ready to celebrate!
Bourbon is a type of whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon. In order to be bourbon, it must contain at least 51% corn in its mash, it must be aged in new, charred-oak barrels, and it must be stored at no more than 125 proof and bottled at no less than 80 proof. Though bourbon can technically be made anywhere in the US, 95% of the world’s bourbon is produced in Kentucky, our neighbor just to the south.
It is for that reason that we have a lot of great bourbon bars, events, and even bourbon-inspired foods in our area. Below is a comprehensive list of all things bourbon to try during Bourbon Heritage Month and beyond.
Old Fashioned cocktail from Mid City Restaurant
Food
There are so many excellent bourbon-inspired menu items across the region. Here are a handful of suggestions of what to get at nearby local restaurants.
Note: Menus are always changing and can be viewed on the link shared for each restaurant.
Bourbon peach confit jumbo wings from HighGrain Brewing Co.
Desserts
The creativity that goes into making a bourbon-inspired dish is fascinating, and the relationship between Bourbon and dessert will always be a fun combination.
Bouquet Restaurant (Covington)
Bread Pudding Stuffed Croissant topped with bourbon glaze
Rare vintage bottle of bourbon at Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in Covington
Distilleries
We all know about the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail, but we have some pretty great distilleries nearby, too. Here are several local options, including the type of bourbon they produce onsite.
Choose your own adventure featuring 41 distilleries, tours, tastings, activities, big-city nightlife, quaint country towns, Bourbon-themed hotels, historic bed & breakfast accommodations, and more.
Written by: Linsey Kraeling – Woman, wife, and mother about town, proud millennial, and lifelong Cincinnatian with an invested interest in community involvement and having a full plate—literally and figuratively. Follow along with and read more about eating like a sophisticated six-year-old, supporting local, and acting like a tourist in her own city at instagram.com/linsinnati and tourdecincinnati.com.
Cincinnati Magazine’s popular Slice Night is returning to Yeatman’s Cove for an evening of all-you-can-eat pizza for an incredible cause. The 9th annual Slice Night benefiting the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center is set for Wednesday, September 21 from 5:00-9:00 p.m.
Slice Night Flyer
What is Slice Night?
Slice Night is an outdoor event along the riverfront featuring pizza from nine Greater Cincinnati pizzerias with 100 percent of ticket proceeds benefiting cancer patients and care teams at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center.
“This family-friendly event is something we look forward to every year, as we get to showcase some of our city’s incredible local pizzerias while supporting a very worthy local cause,” said Ivy Bayer, Publisher of Cincinnati Magazine. “Slice Night is a fun and delicious way to not only experience a wide variety of styles and toppings, but you’ll also feel good about eating copious amounts of pizza as 100 percent of proceeds go directly to the important work of the Cancer Center, and the patients they care for.”
This event is a pizza lover’s dream. Guests will enjoy upbeat music and entertainment from DJ Toad while strolling the riverfront and enjoying unlimited pizza samples from Cincinnati’s favorite local pizzerias. Fritsch from Q102 will be in attendance also, serving as the official event emcee. Bonus menu items include pasta, flatbreads, dessert, and snacks from sponsors. Beer, wine, soda, and water will be available for purchase.
Slice Night Photo’sfrom Previous Years
Participating Pizzerias:
Larosa’s Pizzeria
Dewey’s Pizza
N.Y.P.D Ppizza
Krimmers Italianette Pizza
Taglio
Goodfella’s Pizzeria
Bourbon House Pizza
Pop’s Pizza
Terry’s Grocery and Pizza
and MORE!
Benefitting the Cancer Center
“I look forward to Slice Night each year, not only because it’s a great event, but for how meaningful it is for our entire community to come together in the fight against cancer,” said William Barrett, MD, co-director of the Cancer Center and professor and chair of the UC Department of Radiation Oncology. “The funds raised continue to make innovative, multidisciplinary care accessible to our patients—from early screenings to survivorship programs. We’re immensely grateful for our region’s support.”
Cincinnati Magazine’s Slice events have raised $234,000 for the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center since they began in 2014.
Slice Night Photo’sfrom Previous Years
Ticket Options
General admission tickets may be purchased online in advance for $20, or $25 at the door. Children 10 and under are $5. VIP tickets are $75 and include a parking pass, access to a VIP tent with a private open bar, seating, pizza sampling and gourmet desserts.
All tickets also include a complimentary one-year subscription to Cincinnati Magazine. Visit cincinnatimagazine.com/slice to learn more and purchase tickets.
For more information about Cincinnati Magazine and its annual fundraisers and events, visit cincinnatimagazine.com/events.
About Cincinnati Magazine
For more than 50 years, Cincinnati Magazine has covered all the best the Queen City has to offer. As the city’s most respected and award-winning magazine, it connects with more than 160,000 readers every month. Through deeply researched and cleverly written articles, Cincinnati Magazine is the voice of authority and ultimate guide to Cincinnati. It offers a well-curated mix of profiles, investigative pieces, humor, service, and dining coverage both in print and online. Visit cincinnatimagazine.com to learn more and subscribe.
Take a journey to explore the wonderment of art through the paintings of one of the most influential artists of all time, Vincent van Gogh. Cincinnati is currently one of the lucky chosen cities to feature the traveling exhibition that’s getting attention all over the world! The immersive show is full of fascinating information about the life and work of the artist along with the most incredible visuals that will have you in sheer awe at the sight. The entire experience wakes up your senses and opens your mind to gain a deeper appreciation for creativity and culture.
van Gogh’s Immersive Experience Banner
As you step inside of the exhibit you are greeted by a large sculpture of van Gogh’s portrait. There is an overlay of his paintings projected onto the sculpture that dash and dance over the surface mimicking the mind of the artist and how he interpreted things. The show starts off with a timeline of his life to give you an idea of his background that is educational and filled with fascinating facts. Van Gogh was a complex and compelling artist and is probably the most well-known and recognizable painters in history.
The Exhibit
Throughout the exhibit, you will find many quotes by van Gogh that are thought provoking and motivational. The paintings themselves offer a glimpse into the artist’s compassion and connection to nature and the quotes support them. “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” By pairing his words with his paintings, you become enthralled by the magnificent emotion that radiates through the work. Along with quotes are sketches of the artist in progress work that shows you his process and how everything started.
When you go further into the exhibition you come across engaging story projections that reveal the techniques and skills of the artist that have audio descriptions that help guide you through the work. There is another statue of a vase that changes into different paintings of his flower series that shows gestural bursts of energy with each brush stroke.
Exhibits in the van Gogh Immersive Experience Gallery
Additions to the Exhibit
There’s a small bar for refreshments, with a specialty cocktail in honor of the popular painting, Starry Night. It’s a delicious drink to sip on while you walk around and watch the visual displays. If you’re feeling compelled to make art in the likeness of van Gogh’s, head to the section of the show for a reference to a studio where you can draw and color in pages of some of his famous pieces.
This show brings Vincent van Gogh’s paintings to life! It’s as if you’re inside of the painting as it’s being created. The most spectacular part is the massive room with moving images all around you that has enchanting music playing in the distance. You open a set of curtains to enter a large open space that is inviting and instantly impacts you with overwhelming beauty. The projections are 2 stories high and are absolutely stunning. There are multiple lounge areas and plenty of chairs to relax in and gaze at the artwork as it transforms, shifts, and transcends you into a different dimension of dazzling delight! There are rhythmic patterns of animated brushstrokes that go across the wall in a 360-degree angle with movement of captivating colors and textures all around you. It’s like stepping into a dream world that brings to light all the endless opportunities that art has. Take it all in, this expressive atmosphere is something to sit with for as long as you can.
There is a one-of-a-kind Virtual Reality experience that you can participate in that takes you to a day in the life of Vincent van Gogh. Walk through a charming town in Europe that the artist spent time in and where he found some of his sources of inspiration for his work. As you take the same footsteps as he once did, you approach specific locations that are 8 of his paintings and learn about why he painted them. Giving you a better understanding of who he was and the things he did.
Where to Catch van Gogh’s Work
Another super cool aspect of this exhibition being in Cincinnati is that even though it won’t be here forever you can still see Vincent van Gogh’s work in Eden Park. The Cincinnati Art Museum has an original painting, Undergrowth with Two Figures in their permanent collection, that was completed in June 1890. Visit the museum anytime for free to view this painting and be moved by it in person!
The immersive experience will be here until November and takes about an hour to two hours to view and enjoy. It’s located on 18 West Fourth Street 45202, Downtown Cincinnati and is for all ages to attend!
Pure Barre 2 Months of Pure Start for $358 for New Members
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Got your wand and robes? Good—you’re ready for the Hogwarts-inspired art workshops, trivia and dinner feast hosted on August 27 at Covington’s Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center.
It all started when the leadership team at Baker Hunt decided to do a day of themed workshops. Someone suggested Harry Potter and the whole evening came together, almost like magic!
All the guests are encouraged to dress up in their favorite HP-inspired garb, so now’s the time to dig out your Gryffindor scarf or witch’s hat. If you happen to have a lightning-shaped scar on your forehead, you’ll fit right in.
All the classes are for the 21 and older crowd. Whether you arrive via the Hogwarts Express, the Floo Network or by apparating, here’s what you can expect from the day of Wizarding Workshops:
Make a custom ceramic butterbeer flagon. It can have images of the Three Broomsticks, Weasley’s Wheeze’s, the Dark Mar, the Deathly Hallows or your favorite Hogwarts House.
Learn to make a “cobweb” broom, using basic weaving techniques and natural broomcorn. Everyone will complete at least one broom during the class and most people have time to make two (one for you, one for your familiar).
Paint the Hogwarts castle, bathed in moonlight. Your own talents will add the magic to this acrylic painting.
If your favorite wizards are Fred and George Weasley, you’ll love this improv comedy class—don’t worry, it’s muggle-friendly. You’ll play games like Letter to Hogwarts, Wizarding Dating Game and Muggle Translator. Giggles are guaranteed!
Whip up some culinary magic in this wizardly cooking class. Headmaster/Chef Kubicki will help you create (and eat) Mandrake Salad, Hungarian Horntail Paprikash, Edible Wands and Polyjuice Potion. Mrs. Weasley would approve!
Show your house pride with handmade ceramic coasters, one for each Hogwarts house. You’ll glaze them during the workshop and then pick them up later after they’ve been fired.
Signing Up
When you register for one of the workshops, you can reserve a free seat at Trivia Night in the ballroom, where you’ll compete for a handmade themed drink set. You can also purchase an adult beverage from the Three Broomsticks bar.
For fans of Harry Potter and his friends, this day of wizarding workshops will be a blast. As they say at Baker Hunt, you’ll have more fun than a Niffler running amok in a Gringotts vault!
Abut the author: Jill Morenz is the Director of Community Initiatives and Communications for the Catalytic Fund and also runs the NKY Public Arts Network. She is an enthusiastic evangelist for all things NKY.
