Hi I’m Tiff of Tiff in the Morning on Kiss 1071 (heard weekdays 6-10a on iHeartRadio)
I do a lot of things alone…As someone who lived solo in city of Cincy for 4 years I’ve got this down to a science. Join me for tips on how to enjoy experiences alone during various activities…
Tonight I went to a comedy show/dinner at OTR eatery at the DT Kroger. Its centrally located in the city and the atmosphere lends itself to causal conversation, good food, and… grocery shopping if needed.
*Bonus Tiff tip: grocery shopping is a great conversation starter.
For this type of setting my number one recommendation is to sit and chat with the bartender, it’s not groundbreaking, but it’s a great start. Bartender who are not busy are often open to chatting, sharing recommendations, and will often bridge the gap to other people solo in the bar.
Easy questions to start:
“What do you recommend on tap?”
“What’s a typical night here look like?”
“ What else happens at this place, that I might like?”
My second recommendation is; If you find common ground with someone, exchange Instagram handles. This eliminated having to exchanges numbers with someone who don’t really care about (yet.)
*Bonus Tiff tip: FOLLOW UP! That’s my secret sauce, if I meet you and we hit it off, I will reach out and DM within a day or two. I never wait for someone to come to me, its nothing personal, but people get caught in their busy schedules.
My final recommendation is… just do it. You usually wont regret the experience, but it’s natural for your mind to talk you out of it… hell! Our body literally protects us from things that are uncomfortable.
*bonus Tiff tip: I usually tell myself “Stay for 30 mins Tiff, then you can decide.”
Everything Cincy has loads of things to get you started … she does all the research, so you don’t have too, then stop by Tiff in the Morning Tuesday 9:20 for tips of the week.
Looking for a way to show off your knowledge? Wanting to get a bit competitive? We have all the spots on where you can find weekly trivia around Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. Grab your friends and test your knowledge with trivia and themes from TV shows, basic trivia, movies, and more!
Cock and Bull Public HouseListermann Brewing CompanyFountain Square
Dora Cheng was fortunate enough to grow up with very important female role models in her life – her mother and her aunt. So, when she decided to take a leap of faith in August 2020 and launch her own wonton shop, it only made sense that she would pay tribute to those special women in the store’s name.
“In Cantonese, Yee Ma means ‘aunt,’ and mama means ‘mom,'” she explains. “I grew up calling my aunt Yee Mama because I spent a lot of time with her growing up, and I loved watching her cooking in the kitchen.”
Cheng says that Yee Mama felt like the perfect way to capture the spirit of her business and the two important female role models she has in her life. “My aunt and my mom are very different kinds of women – my mom is an independent modern woman and has her own career; my aunt is a nurturing caregiver,” she says. “They both have impacted me in significant ways. I am able to pursue my passion of starting a food business because of these two women.”
Cheng had been refining the business idea for more than two years, but finally decided to turn her dream into a reality in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her love for wontons comes from her American and Chinese upbringing. She was born and raised in Hong Kong, and moved to America with her family when she was 17. “I have lived in several small to mid-sized cities in America and have always had a hard time finding food that reminds me of the flavors that I grew up eating in Hong Kong,” she says.
That’s when she turned to making wontons at home. Hong Kong is famous for its wontons, and this type of regional dumplings are packed with lots of fillings and have a silkier and thinner wrapper than other types of dumplings. “I want to bring this type of dumpling to Cincinnati because I think people would love it,” she says. “I always have handmade frozen dumplings stocked in my freezer – they’re quick and easy meals on days I don’t feel like cooking but taste the same as freshly made food.”
Not only is Yee Mama a unique offering unlike anything else in Cincinnati, the wonton recipes are also unique. The recipes use traditional cooking techniques and honor the Cantonese culture that Cheng, her mother, and her aunt all represent. Additionally, the ingredients used are common in Asian cooking although they are often unfamiliar in Western plates and include woodear mushroom, shiso, and fensi. “When people enjoy our dumplings, they are learning about a culture and culinary traditions,” she says. “Our recipes pay tribute to the culture and cuisine that inspire us; we don’t water down our flavors.”
Every plate served at Yee Mama also looks like a piece of art. Cheng says that the team is full of talented wonton artists who create beautiful plates. Cheng credits her team for not only their skills in creating beautiful plates but also for helping her get to where she is today. “Cathy, Juana, and Dulce, they are the reason that I can grow Yee Mama into what it is today,” she says. “There are a lot of ups and downs in starting a business, but having a supportive team makes this journey a lot more fun and meaningful.”
Since she opened up her doors in August 2020, Cheng says that her team has grown to four people and has expanded from offering pickup once a week to two days a week. They also deliver to neighborhoods within 15 miles of Findlay Kitchen.
As far as the future, Cheng says that she is working on obtaining a wholesale license and bottling sauces for retail and wholesale. “Our goal this year is to get into local grocers in every neighborhood in Cincinnati,” she adds.
To help them accomplish their growth goals, Yee Mama is the recipient of a grant from Main Street Ventures (MSV), a community-funded initiative that makes entrepreneurship possible for everyone in Greater Cincinnati, by supporting entrepreneurs with what they need, when they need it.
MSV’s primary objective is to support all entrepreneurs that show potential to create jobs and positively impact the community. MSV also supports organizations that strengthen the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. There is a specific focus on empowering female and minority founders.
“The funding will allow us to redesign our packaging and purchase the equipment needed to package our products and bottle our sauces,” says Cheng. “We will also be able to hire additional labor needed to manage the demand of our wholesale accounts.”
You can learn more about Yee Mama by following along on Instagram and signing up for their newsletter at yeemama.com. “We love sharing our day-to-day production in the kitchen on Instagram,” adds Cheng. “We also announce our popups and special events on Instagram and via our email subscription.”
To learn more about Main Street Ventures, visit here.
It’s a positive time for the city of Cincinnati and everyone is showing their pride for the Bengals Football Team! The Bengals have influenced a joyous shift in energy in the Queen City this season and what a great time of year it is, being the year of the Tiger! Our communities are coming together in comradery to support the players of the Cincinnati Bengals to their championship game and Local Artists all over town are illustrating their passion for the team! It’s incredible to see the crossover of sports and arts and Cincinnati is the perfect place to experience it!
Photo by: Christen Collins
The Art Academy of Cincinnati is known for always encouraging creative expression and has been helping people connect with what inspires them for over 100 years! This historic school recognizes how much the Bengals going to the Super Bowl has motivated people to come together and that it shares a sense of history in the making. The Academy recently changed their “A’ sign on the outside of the building from a blank orange background to adding tiger stripes to show their support for the team as we cheer them onto victory!
Photos by: Christen Collins
Right around the corner from the AAC you can find a mural by artist Floyd Johnson that says, “No matter how much it hurts you have to keep going”. This quote is just one of Floyds encouraging messages that he provides for the people of Cincinnati and his current work does the same with the phrase, “Cincinnati Against the World”! This saying appeared as the Bengals progression picked up speed and recognition. Floyd is the founder of Ohio Against the World and his new design says it all when it comes to not underestimating the power of Cincinnati, Ohio! You can purchase garments from him that have these words on them in an effort to represent the greatness of this area and the people that are from here! https://www.instagram.com/floydfromohio/
Photos by: Christen Collins
Photos by: Christen Collins
Arnold’s Bar and Grill is known for being a canvas of art outside and within! The family-owned business features a window painting by Bill Humphrey that specializes in lettering! These diehard fans know how to praise their favorite team with this window display, cheers to Who Dey! https://www.instagram.com/arnolds_cincinnati/https://www.instagram.com/billhumphrey1.618/
Design by: Rebekah Del Matto
Even their General Manager, Rebekah Del Matto is getting into the spirit of things with her whimsical designs as a Mural Painter, otherwise known as the Cincy Wallflower! Year of the Tiger? More like “Year of the Bengals”! https://www.instagram.com/cincywallflower/
Painting & Photo by: Javarri Lewis
Local Artist Javarri Lewis pays homage to the Cincinnati Bengals by painting the players portraits as his contribution to the respect he has for them. He first started displaying these incredible paintings on his fire escape in Over-The-Rhine to give the community a visual of what representing pride looks like in the neighborhood. Since then, he has made several paintings of the beloved players and continues to root them on as they head to the Super Bowl! https://www.instagram.com/javarrilewis/
Photo by: Christen Collins
Photo by: Christen Collins
Two permanent Bengals themed murals that Cincinnati is excited to have, are located on Central Avenue by the talented Artist, Bunk News also known as Visual Junk. These clever wall pieces are throwbacks of classic cartoon characters that add to the jovial vibrations that the city is experiencing right now. With an effort to keep the happy momentum going, these pieces are truly inspiring and a lot of fun to see! https://www.instagram.com/bunk_news/https://www.instagram.com/visualjunk/
No matter if you’re a new fan or have been for your entire life, you can’t help but to take notice of and be moved by the positive impact that celebrating the Cincinnati Bengals has had on the people of Cincinnati. Through art and sports, we can come together on the same ground and have a sense of hope for better things as our Bengals take on their championship game!
The historic restaurant, Arnold’s Bar and Grill in Downtown Cincinnati is known for being the oldest bar in town but that’s not all they’re known for! For over a hundred years this special establishment has been a gathering place for creatives of all kinds! Not only can you see live music by local musicians every night in their beautiful courtyard but you will find yourself meeting poets, writers, musicians, actors, dancers, performers, and artists of all kinds enjoying themselves while sharing stories of their experiences at Arnold’s. One of the many highlights to this space is the collection of art that they have on the inside and outside of the building. From the 1800’s to now you’re sure to discover new things with each and every visit!
Before heading in, take a minute to admire the architecture, stained-glass, and the impressive neon signs that are displayed in the windows! They recently added new ones that were made by, Neonworks of Cincinnati which is located in the fabulous American Sign Museum!
Another cool feature about the outside of the building is that one of the world’s most well-known street artists, Shepard Fairey has a large piece on the wall in the alley to the right! The piece, “Global Warning” is 15 feet tall and was part of his “Supply and Demand” exhibition at the Contemporary Art Center in 2010. Fairy put up several other pieces throughout the city that year but Arnold’s is one of the only places where you can still see his artwork in public in Cincinnati and they take great pride in continuing to preserve his incredible screen-printed wheatpaste mural.
As soon as you step inside you can’t help but to be mesmerized by the ambiance and aesthetic of this place! The bar features historic nostalgia all over the walls that helps your imagination envision what it was like throughout time. Everywhere you turn you will find something interesting and even quirky little details that will make you smile! Behind the bar on the top shelf are five ceramic bottles that you don’t want to pass up taking a look at! These interesting pieces of pottery depict faces of people but it’s a mystery as to who they are. A fun game the bartends like to play with the patrons is guessing who they might be, so next time you’re there make your bets on who you think they are! The artist, Scott Wynn created them, as well as the amazing carved double doors that lead you in and out of the courtyard that the former owner, Jim Tarbell commissioned.
The courtyard itself is a work of art with its unique stage that looks like a front porch and features a variety of vintage signs. On one of the walls you can find a second wheatpaste mural by another popular street artist, JR. This piece is of waitresses that worked at Arnolds in the 1930’s and the original photograph to compare it to is inside the dining room! https://www.jr-art.net
Adjacent to it is another wall piece that was also created by a famous graffiti artist! This piece is of local legend Peanut Jim and was made by Alexandre Manuel Dias Farto, also known as Vhils.
Chris Breeden, the current owner is a huge advocate for art and continues to support creatives from all over by showcasing their work in his business. He has kept the art scene alive through this revitalization of incorporating art into the experience of what Arnold’s has to offer! So keep going back to see what he collaborates on and curates next!
Festivals are back in Cincinnati and there are plenty for everyone to enjoy all over town, from riverside, to fountain square, and beyond! Learn how this city got its famous title, “The Melting Pot” by experiencing the diverse cultures that have come together to celebrate History and Heritage in Ohio and Northern, Kentucky.
Here’s a list of autumn festivities that you don’t want to miss!
Oktoberfest Zinzinnati
September 16th – 19th
Thursday– Sunday
One of the largest German Heritage Festivals in the United States returns for its annual event in Downtown, Cincinnati! Sam Adams sponsors the festival and you can be sure to find lots of authentic food, beer, games, activities, music and dancing for the entire family to partake in!
Just across the river located at the Newport Festival Park at the Levee you can catch another weekend long festival that honors the German Culture in the region that is sponsored by Christian Moerlein Lager House. They will also have live music, food and drink vendors, plus art and activities. https://www.cincinnatifestivalsandevents.com/newport-oktoberfesthttps://www.moerleinlagerhouse.com
If you want to experience traditional German Culture all year long head over to Hofbräuhaus in Newport, KY for a delicious soft pretzel and brew with live entertainment that will have you dancing on the tables!
Attend this magical festival for a day filled with enchantment as you time travel into the past of the Renaissance! This festival features everything you can imagine and takes you into a world of wonderment and imagination! Each weekend is themed and the last one is, “Tricks or Treats” for all your Halloween fun!
This one-day festival is located on Madison Road, in Madisonville and is put on by the Community Urban Redevelopment Corporation to promote more neighborhood engagement. There will be incredible live jazz music, local food and drinks, art vendors and activities for children.
This festival is the perfect opportunity to try something new and learn about a different culture that is a wonderful addition to the diversity of Cincinnati! The festival is presented by Kroger and will be in the new Court Street Plaza.
One of Cincinnati’s finest city parks offers free music to the public that you absolutely have to go experience for yourself! This park is very inclusive for all people, of all ages and backgrounds, making it the perfect place to join with the community in sheer outdoor fun! They always have tasty food there by local favorite, Eli’s BBQ and a variety of beverages to choose from. Whether it’s Jazz, Bluegrass, Roots, or Americana you can be sure to find the music either on the mainstage at the open field with a view of Music Hall, the covered porch patio, or in the gorgeous gazebo towards the south side of the park. Roots Revival is the series that is every Thursday from 7-9pm. This series is sponsored by The Johnson Foundation, Dunlap Cafe, George Remus, and the Cincinnati and Kentucky Enquirer.
Two of Cincinnati’s most well-known bluegrass bands were recently featured in the summer music series, The Tillers and Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle. Both bands have a great following of friendly fans and they always get you off your feet to dance! The Tillers played on the larger stage in front of the greenspace during a rainstorm but that didn’t scare them away from performing! As the dark clouds rolled in, one of the members of the band addressed the audience saying, “Don’t let the rain run ya off, we’re gonna keep pickin’ till we see lighting!” and with those words the rain came but that didn’t stop anyone from having a good time! It was an amazing site to see, the entire audience got up and danced in the rain without a care in the world!
Buffalo Wabs and the Price Hill Hustle had a hooten and hollern’ of a time with their performance in the gazebo. They started off with an endearing tribute to those that attended the show, “This is for all of you folks that love to see live music, because we love seeing you!”
This band always brings a fun energy that makes you want to dance and sing along to their songs!. You can’t help but smile when this band is on stage; they are hilariously entertaining with their witty lyrics and banter with each other and the audience.
The series is almost over so if you missed the other ones you still have a chance to make it to the last two and they are going to be good ones! We have Honey & Huston on August 26th and Fairfield Four on September 1st! Not to worry even if you missed some of the summer series of Roots Revival you can still find these bands performing all over the Cincinnati area at other incredible venues. Washington Park also has live Jazz music every Monday until September!
One of the best things about the Queen City is that it’s a strong supporter of live music! We have lots of venues that feature local musicians and touring bands from all around. Most of the parks in Cincinnati have live music every week and some bars have performances every night!
Sawyer Point’s Summer Concert Series
This park is a majestic place to go see live music outdoors at one of the most beautiful settings in the city. The park highlights a variety musical acts all summer long and is a cool place to relax in the grass or dance around! A lot of their concerts are free and are predominantly on the weekends! Make a day out of going to see music in the park by enjoying all the recreation the park has to offer then head over to their large stage that has in incredible background behind it of the bridge going over the Ohio River.
In the heart of downtown is a fun filled venue that brings music and culture to the community in engaging ways! On Wednesdays they have Reggae, other nights they have free Salsa Dancing Lessons, and rotating music on Friday and Saturday nights. There are excellent restaurants to choose from surrounding the square with a glorious water fountain that adds to the atmosphere of the space. https://myfountainsquare.com/events/
Riverbend Music Center
This awesome concert venue is back in action with a full summer schedule of rocking bands and stellar solo artists! Riverbend is a Cincinnati locals favorite being along the riverside and being attached to the historic Coney Island. This venue is a great place to make lasting memories and enjoy some of the biggest names in music from around the country!
This arena is another popular venue to go see famous musicians from near and far preform! This indoor venue showcases just about everything and has consistent new shows available for the whole family to check out. Their outdoor deck is attached to the Reds Stadium and has incredible views of the river on one side and the city on the other!
This new and impressive venue is located in The Banks and is a must to go check out! Their lineup is outstanding and even the architecture of the building is a sight to see! This is another venue near the Ohio River and is an area that offers a lot of bars and restaurants to visit before or after an act!
Cincinnati is definitely known for putting on a good show and no matter what style or genre of music you like, you’re sure to find it here! Each venue has its own unique way of captivating the audience with rhythmic energy throughout the different performances that leave you wanting more!
The Cincinnati area has many markets scattered throughout almost every neighborhood and they all offer a variety of different things for everyone to enjoy! Most of them are outdoors and have plenty of things to engage in for the whole family! A lot of them have local food and support small businesses, while highlighting community involvement! There are a ton of opportunities for artist to sell their work and meet with the public at these markets and we know just the ones to check out this summer!
The City Flea
This urban flea market is a crowd pleaser and is in one of the most beautiful parts of Cincinnati! This market is located in the historic Washington Park right in front of the mesmerizing Music Hall. The market is head once a month and they have dozens of vendors from craft makers to community organizations, and startup businesses. They have anything from vintage wears to contemporary art, and much, much more! Make an entire day out of visiting the City Flea! There is so much to do in the park for kids and adults! The water feature is a perfect way to cool off from the heat and the patio bar is an excellent place to grab a drink and relax!
In the art district of Over-the- Rhine you can experience a lively and fun celebration of creativity down Main street on every second Sunday of the month at this stellar market! This market has a wide range of artists and local businesses to support and meet with! The Art Academy of Cincinnati is usually there with their artists, instructing workshops for people to join in on. There are performances, live music, and lots of food trucks to choose from! This market gives off a block party vibe for people of all ages to have a fun time at!
This market started as a class project and evolved into a popular market that showcases artists, craft makers, and many local businesses that we love! The market is at different locations and always keeps you excited for the next one! Some of the locations include Fountain Square and Rhinegeist Brewery.
CampSite Sculpture Park is one of our favorite places that hosts community driven events and there markets on Saturdays are absolutely lovely! Explore the park while shopping for local art and supporting small businesses! For more information on how to be a vendor visit their website! http://campsitesculpturepark.com/
We took an adventure around Cincinnati to explore some of the many sculptures that are featured outside throughout the area and had a magical time engaging with these works of art! All of them are free to take a look at and are very pleasant places to visit! Most of them are interactive experiences and others stand so tall you have to take a step back to view them. From along the riverside to surrounding neighborhoods, Cincinnati has a lot of sculptures to discover and enjoy! Here are a few of our favorites!
The Crystal Garden
On the University of Cincinnati’s eastern side of campus, you can find yourself casually coming across a garden of large geometric crystal formations that are shooting out from the ground! These fragmented structures have tunnels that you can walk through and give a sense of what it’s like being inside of a crystal gemstone. Look up and around to admire lines, angles, shapes, and colors that collide together in perfect harmony. These giant crystal sculptures are made out of a variety of materials which are fascinating and fitting for the connection of fine art and architecture. The enchanting quality they have is mesmerizing to say the least! Crystal Garden was created by artist Dennis Oppenheim and the university has many other impressive sculptures in different spaces indoor and outdoor on campus. https://magazine.uc.edu/issues/0714/ArtSculpture.html
Cincinnati Art Museum Art Climb
The Cincinnati Art Museum is always our go-to place to experience art in all its glory and now that they have stairs called the Art Climb you can get a little exercise in while seeing some amazing outdoor sculptures! Starting from the bottom of the stairs is the piece LBD Duty Free by Chakaia Booker, as you make your way up the staircase you see another sculpture called, Cube ’97 by Tony Rosenthal, then when you make it to the top you’re greeted by the stunning piece, Skybound by Barton Rubenstein! All of this is nestled up the hill of the main entrance to Eden Park and leads you to the Museum. https://www.cincinnatiartmuseum.org/visit/art-climb/
International Friendship Park
This lovely park has so much to offer for recreation but also features a number of awesome sculptures in a beautiful setting along the Ohio River. While walking the educational pathway you will see the incredible mirror structure called, Castle of Air by Artist, Architect: Peter Haimerl. Stand outside of it and take in the reflection of the sky and trees. Notice the way the sculpture mimics nature then walk inside the structure to look at your own reflection in different positions! As you walk further down you will find the Seven Vessels Ascending/Descending by David Nash overlooking the river. Then once you reach the end of the park you will discover the massive Crystalline Tower sculpture by Susan Ewing that is truly out of this world and a sight to see! https://www.cincinnatiparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Ted-Berry-Brochure_ADA.pdf
CampSITE Sculpture Park
This social sculpture park features a range of different art and artist throughout its indoor and outdoor space. When visiting this collective and inclusive environment you will be in a state of wonderment by the murals on the walls, sculptures in the grass, and the installations coming off the buildings! One of the most incredible parts about this place is that it is continuing to cultivate opportunities for creative expression in new ways each and every day! CampSITE has many events for everyone to participate in, making it the perfect place to experience creativity coming to life in the community! They even have live music in the park, on Wednesday nights in June, where you can listen to jazz music and hang out by their cozy campfire! A recurring event they have is their Second Saturday Markets that are every second Saturday from 12-4pm from May – October. The Art Academy of Cincinnati currently has their playful duct tape sculptures on display there that you can interact with and transcend to a whimsical state of mind. Another event that they have coming up is a micro creative arts festival called, CampSITE Social Art: An Abstract Junction, that will take place on Sunday, June 6, 5-9pm. This Social Art Event is a grassroots opportunity for creatives to showcase what they do and connect with the community in meaningful and expressive ways! There will be live music, interactive art, a variety of vendors, activities for all ages, a kid’s craft area, live painting, local food, and so much more!