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UNCOVERING THE PAST Cincinnati Before 1788

THE BAKER’S TABLE STARS IN ALL SEASONS BY M. LEIGH HOOD

WHY SERPENT MOUND IS SACRED GROUND BY LISA MURTHA

HAVE SOME FAITH IN KEVIN JAMES THORNTON BY LAURIE PIKE

I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H M O N A D E R M AT O L O G Y

The Fall Reset:

Your Guide to Laser & Light Treatments As the days get shorter and cooler weather arrives, our time outdoors naturally begins to reduce. For most patients, this makes fall the perfect time to consider having a laser or light treatment. From lighter options with little to no downtime, to deeper resurfacing with advanced results, there’s something for every concern and lifestyle. Mona Dermatology’s board-certiﬁed providers and laser experts break down the unparalleled range of treatment options available at their Kenwood-based practice.

Laser & Light Terms țȚț • Laser vs. Light– The main difference between a laser and a light-based treatment is the technology itself. A laser uses a particular wavelength to specifically target things in the skin such as pigment, redness, or water. A light-based treatment on the other hand, typically uses pulsed energy and filters to more gently treat the skin. While not a perfect comparison, think of it like using a laser pointer vs. a flashlight. • Ablative vs. Non-Ablative– A non-ablative laser typically has less down time since it bypasses the top layer of the skin, heating the deeper areas of skin to help build collagen. An ablative laser on the other hand, treats both the outer skin and deeper layers of tissue, causing more downtime.. One is not necessarily better than the other: depending on your skin type and the concerns you want to treat, both types can be useful tools for different goals. • Fractional– When we say that a laser is fractional, this refers to the area of the skin being treated. A fractional laser will treat narrow channels or “columns” within the skin while leaving the rest of the skin untreated. The idea is that the skin left intact can help speed the healing of the treated skin, leading to faster healing as compared to treating the entire area. A fractional treatment can be either ablative or non-ablative, depending on the device and settings used.

Lighter Resurfacing: ț-Ȟ Days Downtime For patients who can’t take time off, three treatments handle most surface concerns such as sun damage, redness, uneven tone with next to no recovery time. • IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) & BBL (Broadband Light) Hero uses light-based energy to break up sun damage, brown spots, rosacea, uneven skin tone, and even acne. Some treatments can even be customized to boost collagen production for anti-

I N PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H M O N A D E R M AT O L O G Y

aging. For optimal results, we recommend scheduling as a series of 3 sessions, each about a month apart. • PicoSure uses picosecond pulses instead of heat to treat brown spots, melasma, and uneven skin tone with almost no visible downtime. As a bonus, PicoSure can also be used for tattoo removal and help with pore size.. • Nano LaserPeel is a true “lunchtime” laser peel that removes the topmost layer of skin to soften ﬁne lines with about 1–3 days downtime. • VBeam is a great choice for those who want to target facial redness, visible blood vessels, cherry angiomas, and rosacea directly. Downtime varies depending on the treatment, but typically is about 3-5 days.

Moderate Resurfacing: Ȟ-ȡ Days Downtime This is where results start to compound: wrinkles, scarring, and tone all respond meaningfully, with roughly a week of visible healing. All the other lasers in this category are customizable and can treat wrinkles, ﬁne lines, texture, acne scarring, and sun damage with about 4–7 days of downtime. The difference comes down to the technology and how it actually works within the layers of your skin. • Fraxel Dual is a non-ablative, dual-wavelength laser that treats surface and deeper layers while leaving surrounding skin intact for faster healing. • Halo on the other hand is a hybrid laser that combines both ablative and non-ablative wavelengths into one highly customizable treatment. • Lastly, UltraClear Moderate is unique in that it is a coldablative fractional laser, which allows for the beneﬁts of an ablative laser with slightly less downtime due to the cold technology.

Deeper Resurfacing: ȡ-țȚ Days Downtime For patients chasing a more dramatic change in one or two sessions, this tier makes up the practice’s most advanced

resurfacing options.The lasers in this category also treat wrinkles, ﬁne lines, texture, acne scarring, and sun damage like in the moderate surfacing category above. However, they go deeper for more advanced results, and as a result come with about 7-10 days of downtime. • UltraClear Deep is the deeper-resurfacing counterpart to UltraClear Moderate, with additional passes to target deeper collagen stimulation as well as the ability to add laser coring for lifting and more tightening. • ProFractional is an ablative erbium laser that works by using laser energy to create narrow channels in the skin, kicking off collagen remodeling. • Lastly, TOTAL FX is an ablative CO2 laser that is stronger and produces more heat than ProFractional. While patients will notice fresher skin as quickly as one week, the bulk of their results unfold over the following three to six months as new collagen builds.

How to Choose What’s Right For You Deciding between laser and light treatments can be overwhelming, particularly because many devices offer similar beneﬁts and downtime. However, seeing a provider who is an expert in using laser technology is key to not only ﬁnding the right treatment for you, but having a safe and effective treatment. No two devices are interchangeable, especially when considering your skin type, skin tone, concerns you are trying to treat, recovery time, and budget. While lasers are one of the best tools in our toolbox, in the wrong hands, they can also cause serious or sometimes permanent damage

to the skin. Our providers at Mona Dermatology are experts in this technology, performing over 2,000 laser & light treatments combined in any given year. No matter where you choose to have your laser treatment, be sure to see a board-certiﬁed provider who is experienced in handling laser technology safely. Consider asking why you are a good candidate, what you should expect during the treatment, what results may be, what the risks are, who will perform your treatment, and what will happen if complications arise.

To learn more about laser and light treatments or to schedule a consultation at Mona Dermatology, visit monadermatology.com or call 513.984.4800. O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 1

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F E AT U R E S O C TO B E R 2 02 6 SHELL GAME SEARCHING FOR REMNANTS OF A LOST WORLD AT TRAMMEL FOSSIL PARK IS FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY.

ANCIENT HISTORY

Cincinnati’s rich history stretches beyond the settlement of Losantiville in 1788. Geological forces carved the valley, Indigenous people shaped the earth, and we’re still studying both today.

SACRED GROUND P. 50

YOU GOTTA HAVE FAITH P. 54

BY LISA MURTHA

BY LAURIE PIKE

Southwest Ohio has been home to the world’s largest serpent effigy for a millennium at least. Its origins remain shrouded in mystery.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLINE EYER

Viral sensation Kevin James Thornton changes his (auto) tune after moving to Cincinnati and opening Shamala Hamala.

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D E PA R T M E N T S O C TO B E R 2 026

ON OUR SITE

FOOD NEWS

12 / LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

FRONTLINES

16 / SPEAK EASY

Exhibitions honor artists Charley and Edie Harper

16 / ART

New BLINK VP on this year’s art and light show

15 / DISPATCH

Photographer Trevor Paglen’s return to Cincy

18 / STYLE COUNSEL Menswear, jewelry, and brooches

20 / ESCAPE Exploring Black history in the Windy City

22 / NECESSITIES Go wild with leopard print accessories

24 / REAL ESTATE

DINE

118 / DINING OUT Farm-to-baker’s-table dining in Newport

120 / SNACK TIME Bite-sized brownies and special sweets

122 / ROAD TRIP Arlington, Illinois’s Japanese market

122 / TABLESIDE

124 / FOODOGRAPHY Your guide to good eats at the Ohio Ren Fest

26 / DR. KNOW

Greater Cincinnati restaurants: A selective list

COLUMNS

28 / LIVING IN CIN Loons in balloons

Decoding our civic DNA, from history to politics to personalities.

Brandy Gleason is exploring Ohio one bite at a time

A massive renovation of the landmark Covington cathedral Your QC questions answered

CITY NEWS

128 / DINING GUIDE

HOME + LIFE

Tracking what’s new in local real estate, artisans, and storefronts.

ON THE COVER

photograph by ANDREW DOENCH

BY J AY G I L B E R T

136 / CINCY OBSCURA

136

The sphinx of Spring Grove Cemetery BY CLAIRE LEFTON

Insight and analysis on the Bengals and FCC.

@Cincinnatimagazine

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Fall Travel

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Enjoy the Spirits

Raise a glass to these regional breweries, speakeasies, and distilleries. Raise a glass to these regional breweries, speakeasies, and distilleries.

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Schools: The Open House Guide

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SCHOOLS The Open House Guide

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PAGE 95 2026 CINCINNATI SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

FIVE STAR AWARD WINNERS

These days, it takes a village to manage your financial world. In fact, many consumers have a hard time figuring out where to even begin.

Sometimes, a few simple questions can put you off on the right path. Asking a professional what makes working with them a unique experience can help you understand how they work and if their style meshes with your own. This is a great place to start! Five Star Professional uses its own proprietary research methodology to name outstanding professionals, then works with publications such as Cincinnati Magazine to spread the word about award winners. Each award candidate undergoes a thorough research process (detailed here) before being considered for the final list of award winners. For the complete list of winners, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER

FIVE STAR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL

DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA

Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards. 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 6. One-year client retention rate. 7. Five-year client retention rate. 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered. 9. Number of client households served. 10. Education and professional designations. 1,926 award candidates in the Cincinnati area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 177 (approximately 9% of the award candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers.

The investment professional award goes to estate planning attorneys, insurance agents and select others in the financial industry. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed with appropriate state or industry licensures. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 5. One-year client retention rate. 6. Five-year client retention rate. 7. Number of client households served. 8. Recent personal production and performance (industry specific criteria). 9. Education and professional designations/industry and board certifications. 10. Pro Bono and community service work. This year, we honored 3 Cincinnati-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award.

RESEARCH DISCLOSURES In order to consider a broad population of high-quality wealth managers and investment professionals, award candidates are identified by one of three sources: firm nomination, peer nomination or prequalification based on industry standing. Selfnominations are not accepted. Cincinnati-area award candidates were identified using internal and external research data. Candidates do not pay a fee to be considered or placed on the final lists of Five Star Wealth Managers or Five Star Investment Professionals. • The Five Star award is not indicative of a professional’s future performance. • Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. • The inclusion of a professional on the Five Star Wealth Manager list or the Five Star Investment Professional list should not be

construed as an endorsement of the professional by Five Star Professional or Cincinnati Magazine. • Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager, Five Star Investment Professional or any professional is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected professionals will be awarded this accomplishment by Five Star Professional in the future. • Five Star Professional is not an advisory firm and the content of this article should not be considered financial advice. For more information on the Five Star Wealth Manager or Five Star Investment Professional award programs, research and selection criteria, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com/public/research.

All award winners are listed in this publication. Wealth Managers Financial Planning Ryan F. Antepenko ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Matthew C. Bayer ∙ The Bayer Financial Group, LLC Page 5 Zach Binzer ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 Josè L. Chavez ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Cory M. Cochran ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Chris Collier ∙ WestPoint Financial Group Emily Diaz ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 S. David Dinn ∙ Brecek & Young Financial Services Monica Dwyer ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Ben Feldmeyer ∙ Feldmeyer Financial Group

Nathan M. Kosman ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group

Bradley Philip Shelley ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/B. P. Shelley & Associates

Chuck Futel ∙ Primerica Advisors

Mark C. Lindloff ∙ Osaic FS

Ryan P. Grote ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group

Brian T. Parker ∙ Hyde Park Wealth Advisors

Brad Soper ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Joe Patterson ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Mark B. Sutton ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 6

Thom Guidi ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 Henry H. Hampton ∙ Thrivent Investment Management

Tyrone Phillippi ∙ McKinley Carter Wealth Services

Greg W. Hang ∙ Shared Vision Advisors

Jamie M. Powell ∙ Capital Advisory Services, LLC

Luke Hail ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Nick Roth ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Marc Henn ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Sonya Saskin ∙ TouchPoint® Wealth Partners Page 4

Randy E. Hein ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Zach Horn ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 Thomas P. Keller ∙ Kehoe Financial Advisors Page 5

Kimberly A. Thompson ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Ronald Bates ∙ 1919 Investment Counsel Paul Burgdorf ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Alan Runkel ∙ Independent Financial Resources, LLC

John Gould ∙ Morgan Stanley Page 2

Chris Saul ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Joel N. Handorf ∙ Morgan Stanley Aubrey Herman ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Robert Huesman ∙ 1919 Investment Counsel Mark Josaitis ∙ Barnwood Capital Management, LLC Karen F. Levy ∙ Wells Fargo Advisors

Andy D. Sathe ∙ MCF

Mark N. Wilkins ∙ Thrivent Investment Management

Adrian Schau ∙ 1919 Investment Counsel

Christopher Wysong ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Derek Miller ∙ Feldmeyer Financial Group

Joy Schlie ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Investments

Jonathan Peirson ∙ Peirson Financial Services, LLC Page 6

Casey Armstrong ∙ Morgan Stanley

Rachel Rasmussen ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Mitch Edwards ∙ Morgan Stanley

Chris R. Ward ∙ EntryPoint Wealth Management Bill Wilkins ∙ Wilkins Wealth Management Group, LLC

Molly Snider ∙ Lifetime Financial Growth, LLC Page 6 Jeffrey David Stanley ∙ Morgan Stanley James O. Stewart ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Jonathan Daniel Weber ∙ Wells Fargo Advisors

Investment Professionals Certified Public Accountant Katerina Maney ∙ KCM & Associates CPA’s, Inc. Continued on FS-7

This award was issued on 09/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 11/27/2025 through 06/03/2026. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 1,926 Cincinnati-area wealth managers were considered for the award; 177 (9% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. This year, we honored 3 Cincinnati-area investment professionals with the Five Star Investment Professional award. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as an IAR or principal of an RIA for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice and therefore may not manage their clients’assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com.

Five Star Wealth Managers Your guide to the city’s award-winning wealth managers and investment professionals.

LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S -1

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF John Fox

DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Tony Frank

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CONTRIBUTORS

LAURIE PIKE

I ’ V E B E E N CO L L EC T I N G A M A Z I N G I M AG E S O F D E E P S PAC E L AT E LY, T H O U G H I ’ M not sure why. It’s a long-running rabbit hole I’m exploring, from crazy Hubble telescope photos to those viral (and apparently fake) night skies on Mars. I’ve even been watching a bunch of Neil deGrasse Tyson videos, too. I’m fascinated by how vast and jam-packed the sections of space are in these images. So many stars, galaxies, and dust formations. And so many thoughts about how insigniﬁcant Earth is in the scope of it all, how tiny we are in the universe—one grain of sand on all the world’s beaches put together. How did this rock orbiting an ordinary sun in an ordinary galaxy produce everything wonderful in our lives? And how did the planet go millions of years before the right combination of minerals and molecules created a strain of life that would evolve into humans? Most of us will spend about 75 to 100 years on Earth, a tiny fraction of its existence before us and (hopefully) of its lifespan into the future. I’m sure there’s a form of math that can calculate the minuscule percentage of our lives within the vast time and space the universe occupies, but I don’t want to know the number. I already feel pretty unnecessary. Another feeling I derive from this recent hobby of mine is more positive: humility. It’s an underrated quality, I think. And this month’s “Ancient History” (page 36) gives off the same vibes of remaining humble about what we’ve built as a people and a society. Local history is usually told as starting in 1788 with the ﬁrst Americans arriving via the Ohio River, followed by waves of Germans and Europeans in the 1800s and Black Southerners and white Appalachians in the 1900s, culminating in the modern, bustling, multi-cultural city we love today. The truth is we’re simply stewards of land that was occupied by Indigenous people, wildlife, dinosaurs, and trilobites long before we appeared. Cincinnati has come a long way, for better or worse. Let us humbly remember and honor those who called this place home before us.

J O H N F OX

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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ILLUSTR ATIO N BY L A R S LEE TA RU

Contributing Editor Laurie Pike was scrolling, bored, on Instagram one day when she discovered social media sensation Kevin James Thornton. The stories he shared—both heartbreaking and hilarious—made her feel a deep level of connection, and his ability to connect with others moves beyond the screen in “You Gotta Have Faith” (page 54). She says, “He took a moment after every question was asked and answered with great humility.”

AMANDA BOYD WALTERS When Amanda Boyd Walters, CM’s director of editorial operations, goes into her backyard and ﬁnds rocks with fossil shells in them, it reminds her that we’re all just small pieces of a greater narrative. “It’s important to recognize that people were already here when so-called settlers arrived in 1788,” she says of her work arranging “Ancient History” (page 36), a look back at the forces that shaped our region.

KYLE HARTSHORN Contributing artist Kyle Hartshorn has been creating “paleoart” since 2013. In “Ancient History” (page 36), he takes inspiration from science ﬁction artists to create colorful illustrations that show dusty fossils were once as vibrant as a modern coral reef. “Color patterns, soft tissue anatomy, and behavior are rarely preserved in the rock record and thus left to the imagination of the artist,” he says. “Each illustration represents hours of research in the scientiﬁc literature.”

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BLINK AGAIN P. 16

ACCESSORIZING MENSWEAR P. 18

BLACK HISTORY IN CHICAGO P. 20

CATHEDRAL RENOVATION P. 24

MODERN LOVE

Two concurrent Cincinnati exhibitions honor the work of artists Charley and Edie Harper. S T E V E N R O S E N T

HE LATE CHARLEY HARPER’S

colorful, Modernism-infused art is not only familiar to most Cincinnatians. It’s also been seen by anyone who’s ever been in a museum gift shop. So it’s surprising that The Art of Charley Harper: Creatures Wild and Tame, opening at the Cincinnati Art Museum October 16, is the first museum retrospective of his long career. It will feature some 150 objects as well as a nice print catalogue, an indication of how seriously the museum takes this show. And in a touching move, the Taft Museum of Art will present a concurrent exhibition devoted to the work and career of Charley’s wife Edie Harper, a consistent innovator who explored abstraction and modernism. With about 120 artworks, Edie McKee Harper: Modernist at Play is her first full retrospective and will be on display starting October 17. It, too, will offer a print catalogue. Charley and Edie met on their first day at the Art Academy of Cincinnati in 1940, and they married in 1947. He died in 2007 at age 84; she in 2010 at 87. While each show is a product and a vision of its curators, both benefit from the CONTINUED ON P. 16

Beagle by Charley Harper

Edie and Charley Harper circa 1979

Fishful Thinking by Edie Harper PH OTO G R A PH S CO U R T E S Y T H E C H A R L E Y A N D ED I E H A R PER FO U N DAT I O N

Cat Carson—Western Scout by Edie Harper

Mystery of the Missing Migrants by Charley Harper O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 1 5

DISPATCH

ART

TECH-IBITION

Trevor Paglen’s solo exhibition the most merciful thing in the world at the FotoFocus Center features photo, video, and sculpture that examine how human interactions with technology test the capacities of human perception and cognition. fotofocus.org 1 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

SPEAK EASY

GET READY TO BLINK! X Cincinnati’s expansive art and light festival BLINK returns for four days of projection mapping, murals, and installations, covering Covington, Cincinnati’s riverfront, the Central Business District, Over-theRhine, Findlay Market, and Fountain Square in glowing hues. Cincinnati Magazine caught up with Executive Director Leslie Mooney to chat all things BLINK. What’s new or different for BLINK this year? This year on the kickoff night, October 8, we will have a block party-style opening event that will start at 4 p.m. on Central Parkway. We’ll shut down ﬁve blocks in front of TQL Stadium. We’re calling it Ready. Set. Blink! The [block party will] culminate in the ﬁrst opportunity for us to collectively turn the lights on together. The other big one would be the expansion of the mural program to include Covington. We’re going to add another 10 or so new murals, and we’re calling that section the Madison Walls District. What is the value of bringing international artists while still heavily engaging our community? What we’ve done well, and

continue to work on, is actually work with not just local artists— some of whom have premiere spots like Music Hall or Mother of God Church—but also provide opportunities to work alongside projection mapping artists or muralists who have been doing this for 20 to 30 years.… This isn’t new to BLINK, but we’re continuing to expand it, and that’s working with every major university or college and now expanding it down to SCPA with high school students. What does it mean to give folks of all ages access to experience a night of art and culture at no cost? It’s magical. I’ve been to all four previous BLINKs. This is my ﬁrst on the production side, but I’ve been bringing my kids since they were teeny tiny babies. When people hear about BLINK and try to understand or think about ways to potentially replicate it, it would not be possible without the full buy-in from the city, the county, the city of Covington, and both cities’ Department of Transportation. —MACKENZIE MANLEY Read a longer conversation with Leslie at cincinnatimagazine. com PHOTOGRAPHS BY TK FREELANCER

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (ART) FOTOFOCUS / (SPEAK EASY) LESLIE MOONEY / ICON BY JESSICA DUNHAM

support and assistance of Brett The Art of Charley Harper will include Harper, the only child of Charley his maquettes, drawings, screen prints, and Edie and president of the nonproﬁt acrylic paintings, watercolors, and sevEdie and Charley Harper Foundation. eral cases with ephemera related to his long, productive life. Also on display With his extensive collection of their will be 10 large acrylic paintings comartworks and archives, as well as connections to help get art for the exhibits, missioned by the National Park Service. he played a crucial role for both instituTaft Museum President and CEO tions. “For me personally, it’s about the Rebekah Beaulieu says she was unaware legacy,” Brett says. “I think Charley and of Edie Harper’s work when arriving in Edie were toe to toe in their ability and Cincinnati in 2022, though she’d heard their visions, and I strongly believe in of Charley. She’s now a huge fan of both, them as wonderful people and wonderperhaps even favoring Edie. “I absolutely adore Charley’s work, ful artists.” Brett is dedicated to seebut some of the things she ing his mother’s work get ever does—and this is why we call more recognition for embracthe show Modernist at Play— ing mysteriously abstract imare so playful.” The Harpers were ages and vivid, dramatic colQueen City transFor the Taft’s Tamera plants. Charley was ors. He also has ideas about Muente, team leader of the from Frenchton, West why Edie’s art lagged in recogfour curators for their HarpVirginia, while Edie nition compared to Charley’s. er show, the great discovery came from Kansas “It was her subject matter— was learning about Edie’s City, Kansas. childhood memories, cats, photography. Edie enrolled in the Art Academy of Cincinnati’s ﬁrst and Old and New Testament stories,” he says. “People were more comfortable photography class, Muente notes. “She putting my father’s nature art on their began doing portraiture assignments walls. That was more popular.” and quickly started trying her hand at Julie Aronson, CAM’s curator of abstract photography.” In the end, CAM Director Cameron American paintings, sculpture, and drawings, thinks now is an appropriate Kitchin says he doesn’t view these two time to stage a retrospective for Charley. exhibitions as truly separate from one “I committed to a project that encouranother. Just as the lives of their subages viewers and fellow curators to take jects overlap, so do the retrospectives. Harper seriously as an artist,” she says. “The Art Museum and the Taft to“Although one might think from the gether have joined forces to be able to explore partners in this story,” he says. sleek simplicity of his works that they were easily made, there is great sophis“And we’re thrilled to be able to break tication, thought, and craftsmanship new ground here in understanding these behind them.” artists.”

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STYLE COUNSEL

Liam Haehnle

BLAZER: THRIFTED SHIRT: ROMUALDO PANTS: THRIFTED BROOCH AND RINGS: VINTAGE BOOTS: YVES SAINT LAURENT TIE: VINTAGE

OCCUPATION: Film and TV set dresser, costumer, photographer STYLE: Vintage, deconstructed, accessorized How does your career impact your style? Working on film sets and photo shoots, I typically have to wear black. If I’m showing up to set, I’ll wear a black T-shirt and really clean-cut black pants, and that’s easy to transition once I get home. If I’m going to the bar, I’ll switch into a white tank top and a really loose button-up, and keep the suit pants on. What types of clothing do you find yourself incorporating into your daily style? I would say 99 percent of my wardrobe is vintage or thrifted—just because [the fashion industry] generates lots of pollution and natural waste. There is no particular brand that I gravitate toward. There are two or three shirts I wear on rotation constantly, and those would be my dad’s motorcycle T-shirts. It’s very stolen valor. I don’t ride a motorcycle, but I am walking around OTR as if I ride a motorcycle. What are your favorite current style trends? I’m so happy everyone is wearing barrel jeans. The bigger the better! Investing in a good pair of vintage Levi’s and a really cool boot cut or a straight cut is far more flattering than skinny jeans. How do you like to accessorize? I have 60 brooches, maybe 150 rings. I love jewelry so much. I love the simplicity of taking a brooch and sort of pulling up one side of my white T-shirt and using it to accessorize. If I’m wearing a blazer, I’m always going to have a cool brooch on it. I truly found my love for jewelry and brooches while working as the studio director for renowned Vietnamese fashion designer Thái Nguyen in L.A. —VICTORIA DONAHOE

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GONE SOUTH

CHICAGO’S SOUTH SIDE IS KNOWN FOR ITS EXTENSIVE HISTORY IN BLACK CULTURE. — A I E S H A D . L I T T L E The South Side of Chicago often gets a bad rap, but a visit there will show you plenty of history pertinent to Black life in America. PRESIDENTIAL MOVES

After several years of delays, the Obama Presidential Center ﬁnally opened in June. Located in Jackson Park—just south of Hyde Park, the neighborhood where the former president got his official political start representing Illinois’s 13th Legislative District—the museum, library, and education hub is chock full of information tracing his historic run to the White House. The demand for tickets

remains incredibly high, but if you don’t manage to snag one, you can always explore the outdoor spaces of the 19.3-acre campus that are open to the general public. The John Lewis Plaza (named for the Civil Rights icon and former Georgia Congressman) serves as the gateway to the museum while the Eleanor Roosevelt Fruit and Vegetable Garden represents both Roosevelt’s and Michelle Obama’s interests in gardening and health and wellness. In addition, most of the center’s more than 28 commissioned art installations are in public areas, so take a gander ’til your heart’s content.

Self-taught historian and TikToker Shermann “Dilla” Thomas runs Chicago Mahogany Tours, home of the Bronzeville Bus Tour. Known as the “birthplace of Black History Month”—Dr. Carter G. Woodson first launched his “Negro History Week” initiative in 1926 at the Bronzeville YMCA—the neighborhood served as an anchor for thousands of Black Americans moving north during the first and second waves of the Great Migration. Thomas’s tour includes Eighth Regiment Armory (the building that housed the nation’s first all-Black military regiment), the Supreme Liberty Life Insurance Building (headquarters of the first Black-owned life insurance company in the north), and Pilgrim Baptist Church, the birthplace of gospel music. I’LL HOUSE YOU

The art gallery/media archive/community center Stony Island Arts Bank holds several culturally signiﬁcant permanent exhibitions that explore Black Chicago history. Founded by Theaster Gates, a visual arts professor at the University of Chicago, it’s home to the personal collection of legendary house music DJ Frankie Knuckles. The Bronx native moved to Chicago in the late 1970s, where he was the resident DJ at the West Loop nightclub The Warehouse, pioneering the sound that would eventually have him known the world over as the “godfather of house.” While you can’t play any of the nearly 5,000 LPs and 12-inch records in the Stony Island collection (they’re only for

archival purposes), the museum hosts listening sessions and other programming that will give you the chance to catch a groove. WHERE ART THOU?

Downtown Chicago is dotted with prestigious art museums, but there’s something with a little more ﬂavor south of the Loop. Named after Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable (the Haiti-born man widely regarded as the ﬁrst permanent settler of what would become Chicago), the DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center features more than 15,000 pieces of Black art, from paintings and sculptures to print works and historical memorabilia. Since 1961, the museum has amassed a permanent collection of works by prominent 19th- and 20th-century African American artists, such

as painters Henry Ossawa Tanner, William A. Harper, and William Edouard Scott. Artifacts include investigative journalist/anti-lynching crusader Ida B. Wells’s desk, author/poet (and Dayton, Ohio, native) Paul Laurence Dunbar’s violin, and the historic papers of W.E.B. Du Bois.

Obama Presidential Center obama.org Chicago Mahogany Tours’s Bronzeville Bus Tour chicagomahogany.com Stony Island Arts Bank stonyislandartsbank.com DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center dusablemuseum.org

SIDE TRIP

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that a stop at Harold’s Chicken Shack is a must. After moving from Alabama in the early 1940s, African American entrepreneur Harold Pierce and his wife Hilda opened their ﬁrst Harold’s at 47th Street and Greenwood Avenue in 1950. (This location is closed today but the chain currently has 45 locations in eight states.) No meal here is complete without some Chicago mild sauce, a condiment that’s equal parts sweet, tangy, and spicy.

This chicken joint has roots back to the Great Migration. —A.D.L. 2 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

1: Obama Presidential Center. 2: A chair at the DuSable representing lunch-counter sit-ins during the Civil Rights Movement. 3: The Johnson Publishing Library at Stony Island Arts Bank.

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THE LANDMARK COVINGTON CATHEDRAL’S RESTORATION WAS MORE THAN A CENTURY IN THE MAKING. — J E A N A H A R R I S

that found Brandi Ash in the right place at the right time. The vice president and director of architecture for SHP was working on a project for the Archdiocese of Covington when its director of buildings and properties asked her to evaluate a deteriorating chimera perched atop the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption. Ascending its spiral staircase, she found further deterioration—not unexpected for a building of its age—and realized this would be a much greater endeavor. The 125-year-old building is a Covington icon, with a breathtaking Gothic exterior. Its architect, Leon Coquard, based his design on Notre Dame, and it was built with brick, terra-cotta, and Indiana limestone. It features 82 stained glass windows, and a distinctive mix of gargoyles and chimera. 2 4 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (EXTERIOR) SHP / (INTERIOR) BENJAMINJK

SOME MIGHT CALL IT DIVINE INTERVENTION

For an entire week, the team conducted a building condition survey—sometimes while suspended in a crane basket. After Ash identified open joints, spalling, and missing and deteriorated pieces, SHP needed to grasp the full extent of the issues. So, with no original architectural plans for reference, the team created new ones and 3D scanning company True Scan laser scanned the entire building. With preservation as their north star, work began. All 26 chimera were scanned in place on the parapet by Boston Valley Terracotta, then again after removal by contractor Trisco Systems, Inc., to ensure a 360-degree scan. In New York, BV’s artists built molds of the chimera and handcarved detailing to create exact replicas. Trisco handled all other facets of the project. With the equipment and manpower already in place, every problem was addressed head-on so it wouldn’t cause trouble down the road. “We tried to approach all of the work we did to be the 100-year solution,” Ash says. The entire exterior was cleaned to match new and old stone seamlessly. Ash estimates they went through eight or 10 mockups before finding the right color. It’s virtually impossible to distinguish old from new thanks to the level of care and craftsmanship. The chimera and gargoyles have resumed their protective watch over the city, looking as magnificent as they did a century ago.

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Dr. Know is Jay Gilbert, radio personality and advertising prankster. Submit your questions about the city’s peculiarities at drknow@cincinnati magazine.com

DR. KNOW

sentation of the show’s hilarious blooper footage, plus the “original unaired pilot.” He came to Cincinnati exactly 50 years ago on September 24, 1976. Here’s why the news item you saw is both true and untrue. Midway through Star Trek’s first season, an episode aired that used footage from the 1965 pilot, which had no William Shatner but showed Leonard Nimoy sporting extra-severe ears and eyebrows. Thanks to the “fiction” part of science fiction, the current cast was able to “view” scenes from a long-ago Starship Enterprise. What Roddenberry presented at Riverfront Coliseum was the complete pilot in its original form, which had indeed never been broadcast. That “other” space movie in 1977 eventually gave Star Trek a chance to live long and prosper (again, sorry).

Q+ A

I’m new to Cincinnati and love it, but something vexes me. Why is the expanse between the stadiums called The Banks? Was the area near the river always called that, even in the 1800s, or is it a recent name? Or is it about the various banks that ﬁnanced its development? —BANKING ON YOUR ANSWER DEAR BANKING:

I was born long after Star Trek ﬁrst aired, but I love researching its history. I found an old news item saying that Gene Roddenberry once came to Cincinnati and showed the “original unaired pilot.” True fans know that the pilot did air as part of a new episode. Can you unearth what Roddenberry actually showed? —ILL LOGIC

DEAR ILL:

A long time ago in a decade far, far away (sorry), Star Trek was a forgotten TV has-been. Only the most rabid fans stayed loyal between the show’s 1969 cancellation and its 1979 movie comeback. Creator Gene Roddenberry kept hope alive in the mid-1970s by touring a pre-

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No, the name is not from the 1800s, and for this you should be thankful. Today’s tract between our stadiums was planned in the late 1990s, and if an existing old nickname for the area had been chosen, we would be doing our pre-game partying at The Bottoms. Or Rat Row. Or even Sausage Row. (That last one meant both pork and prostitution.) Our riverfront was perfect for Cincinnati’s early economic growth until it wasn’t. Coal-ﬁred steamboats perpetually fouled the air. Thousands of pigs and tons of excrement didn’t help. When the banks of the river were abandoned thanks to railroads taking over most of the freight, they turned into Cincinnati’s worst neighborhoods—hence those nicknames. The original Ft. Washington Way highway ILLUSTR ATIO N S BY L A R S LEE TA RU

project obliterated most everything around 1960, leaving behind some produce warehouses and the Original Spaghetti Factory. In September 1999 the Riverfront Advisory Commission, tasked with developing a rebirth of the area, proposed calling it The Banks. If they really were thinking about something with a ﬁnancial meaning, perhaps a more appropriate name might have been The Taxes. Or The Reds-Bengals Exemptions. Or simply Impossible Parking. The Bottoms up, everybody!

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I’ve always known that Elvis Presley’s “Love Me Tender” has a Cincinnati connection, that a local man named Fosdick wrote a poem during the Civil War, and someone else wrote the melody. Did Fosdick ever do anything else notable, or was he just a one-hit wonder? —I WONDER DEAR WONDER:

There are multiple reasons why Cincinnati-born William Whiteman Fosdick’s name is slightly less famous than Elvis Presley’s. His accomplishments are not so much notable as footnote-able. The rather pedestrian love poem he wrote in 1861, “Aura Lea,” inspired a melody composed by George R. Poulton. It is only Poulton’s melody that has achieved immortality. Fosdick’s poem lies a-molderin’ in the grave. The sentimental song was introduced just as the Civil War was beginning, gaining popularity among both Union and Confederate troops. A new set of lyrics turned it into “Army Blue,” the graduation anthem for soldiers at West Point. And still another lyric in 1956, the grammatically annoying “Love Me Tender,” became a No. 1 record for Elvis Presley. Clearly, the most disposable element of “Aura Lea” has been Fosdick’s lyrics. A further demerit for the original song is that its ﬁrst professional performance in Cincinnati was by a blackface minstrel group, Hooley & Campbell’s Minstrels. Here we might note that Fosdick’s middle name was Whiteman.

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LIVING IN CIN BY JAY GILBERT

Loons in Balloons

CINCINNATI HISTORY HAS SOME GLORIOUSLY WEIRD BUT FORGOTTEN CHAPTERS. HERE IS ONE.

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE YOU’LL FIND SEVERAL FASCINATING STORIES ABOUT OUR WONDERful town from back before our wonderful town existed. As you read them, remember that some depend on archaeological evidence that is, let’s be honest, mixed with conjecture. We don’t really know, for example, whether the wooly mammoths on Cincinnati’s east side looked down on the wooly mammoths from the west side, but it’s a good guess. Things around here don’t evolve all that much. The story I present here, though, comes from a much later period. By this time, Cincinnati had lost all of its mammoths and not a few of its marbles. Our city’s historical highlights are well-known: beer and pigs and soap and beer and canals and baseball and 2 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

goetta and beer and weird-ass chili. We shall now catch up on a Cincinnati contribution to the world that’s been forgotten: hot air ballooning. Yes, that was a thing. Its pioneers were called “aeronauts,” and they launched some of ballooning’s early milestones directly from the streets of Cincinnati. One such milestone happened in 1861, just as the United States was starting a major war with the most formidable enemy it had ever faced: itself. The Southern states had begun seceding even before president-elect Abraham Lincoln took ofﬁce, making his train ride from Illinois to Washington, D.C., for his inauguration a jittery one. It was feared that angry Confederate hotheads exhibiting LDS (Lincoln Derangement Syndrome) might try to assassinate him. Abe rode for two nervous weeks, including an overnight stay in Cincinnati. Shortly after he left, a well-known aeronaut came to town and made a startling claim: “I could have shepherded Mr. Lincoln safely from Cincinnati to Washington overnight, in my homemade hot air balloon!” He called himself a “professor”—anybody back then with a nice suit and snotty attitude could get away with calling himself a professor—and promised Cincinnati that he would soon rise into the clouds himself, traverse the heavens at unimaginable speed without even feeling it, and land the following day in the nation’s capital. He called his balloon The Enterprise. “To boldly go,” as it were. This man’s name was (take a deep breath) Thaddeus Sobieski Caulaincourt Lowe. Whew. That mouthful of a name obviously made him develop a heavy case of BNSS (Boy Named Sue Syndrome), forcing him to grow up tough. Laughing at danger! Make no mistake: Bottomless courage was essential for 19th century aeronauts. These guys regularly crashed into trees, ruptured their balloons, and plummeted to their deaths. Sometimes they ﬂoated up and simply vanished forever. This gig took guts. Just imagine what kinds of Kalshi bets could have been made on aeronauts. JUST BEFORE DAWN ON APRIL 20, 1861, Thaddeus Lowe launched The Enterprise COLLAGE BY CARLIE BURTON

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LIVING IN CIN from a ﬁeld on Western Row (take that, east side!). Catching a swift upper wind, he raced above the clouds for hundreds of miles through the day and night, then slowly returned to Earth and landed softly. But despite his experience and skill, Lowe still found himself facing the prospect of imminent death. That’s because he

“ﬁring on Ft. Sumter” that officially began the Civil War. Unfortunately for the professor, this event had happened just a week earlier. Not good timing or aiming. About half of the mob who gathered was certain that Lowe was a Yankee spy and wanted him dead. The other half was just as certain he was Satan bringing the End of

HOT AIR BALLOONS, ALAS, TOOK TOO LONG TO DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR PESKY THINGS LIKE GRAVITY AND UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER (NOT TO MENTION THEIR TENDENCY TO EXPLODE). had landed among a group of people who couldn’t wait to kill him. Lowe had overshot his intended target of Washington by 500 miles and touched down in rural South Carolina, not very far from a place called Ft. Sumter. Those of you who paid attention in history class will recall the

Days, so they also wanted him dead. Lowe remained calm. He passed around copies of the previous day’s Cincinnati newspapers, which proved where he’d been 13 hours earlier and even contained articles about his upcoming journey. This approach worked, and they let him go. Lowe eventually

returned to a hero’s welcome in Cincinnati, subsequently publishing his entire story, from which we will share an amusing moment. After a night racing among the stars, Lowe was unsure where he was when the sun began to rise. He partially descended, saw a farmer plowing his ﬁeld, and shouted, “What state is this?!” The startled farmer looked in all directions—except up, of course. Up had never been an option around these here parts. Lowe shouted his question again, and the nervous farmer yelled to no one in particular, “Virginia!” When the guy ﬁnally looked up and saw a man in a giant laundry basket hanging beneath an enormous bulbous bag, he ran away. Lowe tossed out some sandbags, rose again, and continued toward his mistaken rendezvous with the Fightin’ Friends of Ft. Sumter. After landing in South Carolina, Lowe eventually got to Washington by train. There he met Lincoln and demonstrated how a properly navigated balloon could

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advise Union generals about Confederate troop movements. Lincoln immediately appointed him to create and head the Union Army Balloon Corps. Lowe’s platoon must have enjoyed snitching on Confederate troops and luring them into shooting at the too-high balloons, wasting ammunition. AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, LOWE AND MANY other aeronauts used Cincinnati as a base for sharing their knowledge and conducting more voyages. Why Cincinnati? Because the town had already been a magnet for balloon nerds as far back as the 1830s. For that we can thank Clayton’s Balloon Store, an establishment at the corner of Sycamore and Second streets. Aeronaut pioneers made Clayton’s Balloon Store a popular destination, even though it neither manufactured nor sold hot air balloons. It specialized in watches, clocks, and assorted silver and gold jewelry. Huh? Richard Clayton had moved to Cincinnati

from his native England. Already well-to-do, he opened Clayton’s Wholesale House, an upscale jewelry business on the east side of downtown (where, of course, all the betterappointed wooly mammoths lived). But he was also famous as a passionate hot air balloon nerd, with the money, time, and resources for building his own airships. In 1835 he skyrocketed to international celebrity after traveling more than 300 miles in less than 10 hours—a world record for distance, time, and not being killed. That daring adventure and later journeys (Clayton is credited with the world’s ﬁrst airmail delivery) helped make Cincinnati a gathering place for innovative hot air ballooners. His name became so synonymous with ballooning that his jewelry and watch store became known as Clayton’s Balloon Store. You may remember that famous Apple TV commercial saluting “the crazy ones.” It said that “the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the

ones who do.” Thaddeus Lowe and Richard Clayton deﬁnitely belong in that club. They never achieved their craziest dreams; both had hoped to whoosh across the Atlantic Ocean to Europe. Lowe also wanted to create a 19th century FedEx, making overnight deliveries between American cities. Hot air balloons, alas, took too long to develop solutions for pesky things like gravity and unpredictable weather (not to mention their tendency to explode). The Wright Brothers eventually showed the world a better way, turning hot air balloons into a niche amusement. But when the Dayton boys held their ﬁrst major air show in 1910, they went to the trouble to invite the elderly Thaddeus Lowe. They knew—as should we—that Lowe and Clayton and all their aeronaut brethren provided an important assist to changing the world. The anchor from which they changed it was Cincinnati, Ohio. As the old song goes: East side, west side, all above the town.

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487ma Ordovician Period begins

539ma Cambrian Period begins

1788 Mathias Denman, Colonel Robert Patterson, and Israel Ludlow landed on the northern bank of the Ohio River

Cincinnati has a rich history, stretching all the way back to the settlement of Losantiville in 1788. But that’s not where our story begins. Geological forces carved the valley; Indigenous people shaped the earth, and we’re still studying both today.

ANCIENT HISTORY

400 B.C.E. North American Indigenous peoples begin to build earthworks

2026 Today

FIRM FOUNDATIONS The forces that shaped our region left us with a treasure trove of fossil life to explore. B Y C E D R I C R O S E BETWEEN 1.5 AND 2 BILLION YEARS AGO, TECTONIC PLATES collided to form the primordial core of North America. This cataclysm created mountains that eroded into rifts formed by the stretching and cooling of the Earth’s crust. Our geological basement was poured. This being Ohio, the basement ﬂooded. We lay beneath a shallow “epicontinental sea, basically a sea on a continent,” the likes of which doesn’t really exist anywhere on Earth today, says Cincinnati Museum Center Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology Brenda Hunda. During this period, called the late Ordovician, an island chain collided with the eastern rim of proto-North

OUR BEDROCK

America, raising more mountains. With terrestrial plants yet to arrive on the scene, the landscape was highly erosive, Hunda says. Thanks to the magnetic signatures of minerals trapped in rocks at their formation, scientists can track continental drift across hundreds of millions of years. At the time of our inundation, Ohio was 10 degrees or so south of the equator. While we were enjoying a balmy bath, multicellular marine life appeared, creating a sediment of tiny fossils. Put limestone under a microscope, Hunda says, and you’ll see seashells. Underwater mudslides blanketed those limestone layers with eroded mountain clay. This layering action baked the bright gâteau of rock layers

WHAT’S MISSING? Neogene Paleogene

Quaternary Cretaceous Ordovician Jurassic Cambrian

Triassic Permian Pennsylvanian

Pre-Cambrian Mississippian Devonian Silurnian

MOVIN’ ON UP Our bedrock (left) is only made up of a few layers. The upward curve of the crust underneath us (the Cincinnati Arch) combined with glaciation led to erosion of millions of years of sediment (right)—which explains why we have no dinosaur fossils here. An orogeny (top right) is a mountainbuilding event. I L LU S T R AT I O N BY S A N D R A R I L OVA

ALLEGHENIAN OROGENY NORTH AMERICAN PLATE

PROTO-AFRICAN PLATE

Early Orogeny

SUPERCONTINENT OF PANGAEA

Climax of Orogeny

visible in our road cuts, outcrops, and creek beds. Buildup of colluvium—a mixture of the erosion of shale and limestone plus vegetation and other debris—on hill slopes becomes unstable when it rains. Hence our mudslides. Next time you’re detoured after heavy rain for a hillside collapse, blame your lateness on Ordovician mudslides. Trilobites appeared and sponges were dominant in the Cambrian period. Their emergence was upstaged in the following period, the Ordovician. The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, or GOBE, was perhaps the fastest evolutionary radiation of all time, Hunda says. She likens it to the leafing out of a tree in terms of multiplying complexity. “Life on this planet just exploded, to the point where there was a tripling of marine families and a doubling of marine orders,” she says. Look closely at our rocks, and the brachiopods and branching fans of the coral-like bryozoans that blossomed during the Ordovician period even look like trees. The Ordovician seas also teemed with relatives of starfish and sea urchins called crinoids, plus straight- and coil-shelled cephalopods, predecessors to modern squids and nautiluses. “When you pick up a rock in Cincinnati, you can find six, seven, eight different phyla on a single rock. You have amazing diversity. We’re not particularly famous for any one fossil group,” she says. “We’re more famous for the diversity of all of the fossil groups, for the sheer abundance and cornucopia of fossils here.” While a combination of fertile seas with layers of clay and limestone made our region “world famous as a fossil-bearing

area,” University of Cincinnati Geosciences Professor Carl Brett, who has spent decades studying Paleozoic strata and ancient climate change, says it’s also “world class because of the ﬂukes of tectonic fate that brought these rocks up to the surface, and those rocks were never subjected to really high temperatures.” The biggest of those ﬂukes is an upward curve in the earth’s crust on which Cincinnati is centered, the Cincinnati Arch. This immense structure resulted from more mountain build-

Next time you’re detoured after heavy rain for a hillside collapse, blame your lateness on Ordovician mudslides. ing events, or Alleghanian orogenies, to our east, the same that raised the Appalachians which, before they eroded, were as giant and jagged as the Himalayas. The immense weight of those mountains pushed down on the earth’s crust, creating a basin, Brett says. “As the crust is pushed down in one place, the plastic mantle underneath actually squeezes outward and upward on the inner side of that basin. And that creates a gentle fold or forebulge. This, then, is the beginnings of an arch.” The Cincinnati Arch is subtle, hidden in plain sight. Some say its curvature near the center is less than that of the Earth itself, Brett says. Which makes its 1838 » CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY B R I T TA N Y D E X T E R , A D A P T E D F R O M U N I T E D S TAT E S G E O L O G I C A L S U R V E Y I L L U S T R AT I O N

Cambrian Sea

discovery by Cincinnati scientist and all-around Renaissance guy John Locke, whose CV includes inventing a magnetic clock, founding the Cincinnati Women’s Academy, and exhibiting the first photograph in America, all the more impressive. Locke was assisting Ohio’s first geological survey when “he noticed that there was a slight change in the dip of the rocks, first going to the east and then as you cross back to the west. And so, by very careful measurement, he was able to show that there was this very gentle bowing of the strata in this area,” Brett says. Over eons, glaciers and rivers eroded the top of this arch, exposing the oldest rocks at its center and the youngest rocks around the edges. Like cutting the top off an onion. And voilà! A paleontologists’ paradise is (very slowly) born. The sea life pressed into the folds of the Cincinnati Arch has made it a rich source of useful materials. Of great interest to early speculators were the oil and natural gas reserves it harbors

to our north. But you can’t put a price on reservoirs of wonder. In some of its layers, Brett says, “you get beautiful snapshots of a sea bottom that was probably buried by a storm or, as I’ve argued, a tsunami-type deposit. Things were literally buried alive. So you get these spectacular layers of detail where you can see the trilobites reacting to the disturbances, layers where they’re caught rolling into balls.” New technology opens new treasure troves in these layers from deep time. “We have all these new technologies like Micro-CT [microcomputed tomography] scanning and synchrotrons,” Hunda says, “which are now being applied to paleo.” These allow scientists to image the interiors of rocks and fossils in three dimensions without breaking them apart, revealing previously invisible details. “I just sent a specimen to Australia to get bombarded by neutrons in order to image inside the » CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

Ordovician Sea

I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY K Y L E H A R T S H O R N

ROCK STARS Meet our fossilized mascots.

States and cities have official birds, and plants, and even rock songs, so why not fossils? Cincinnati is one of just two cities with official fossils (Fruita, Colorado, is the other). Our emblem is the quarter-sized starﬁsh relative Isorophus cincinnatiensis. At the state level, the genus Isotelus, a group of large, centipedelike trilobites represents invertebrates, while the ancient ﬁsh Dunkleosteus terrelli became official in 2020. — A M A N D A B O Y D W A LT E R S

Seaﬂoor predators, trilobites are distant relatives of horseshoe crabs. The name trilobite means “threelobed animal.”

Isorophus cincinnatiensis was an obligate encruster, which means that it had to attach itself to a hard surface like a barnacle.

(not pictured) Instead of teeth, the jaws of Dunkleosteus terrelli were exposed bone, sharp enough to crunch through bony or shell-enclosed prey.

P H OTO G R A P H BY A N D R E W D O E N C H / I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY K Y L E H A R T S H O R N / F O S S I L S P R OV I D E D BY N I K K I Z E H L E R , R O N F I N E , A N D JAC K K A L L M E Y E R

Bedrock Geologic Map

Cross Section Cincinnati Arch

Silurnian (443–420ma)

Permian (299-252ma)

Ordovician (487–443ma)

Pennsylvanian (323–299ma)

Cambrian (539–487ma)

Mississippian (360–323ma)

PreCambrian

Devonian (420–360ma)

ARCH SUPPORTS The pink on the map shows how the Cincinnati Arch positions Ordovician rock closer to the surface in this region.

rock,” she says. Such technological advances “allow us to see things differently, or to see more than what we’ve ever known. And with each new discovery, we’re pushing back what we know about life in the fossil record. And that could change the way we view the late Ordovician. So in the future, who knows?”

Our geologic basement, while often damp, is deep. The upper Ordovician rock layer alone, called the Cincinnatian Series, is between 800 and 1,000 feet below Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Other layers run deeper still. Who knows what secrets lie yet to be revealed?

FOSSIL FANATICS The Queen City is home to the oldest continuously operating fossil club in North America, the Cincinnati Dry Dredgers. Founded at UC in 1942 as outreach for night classes, the Dredgers continue to educate, socialize, research, and publish monthly. Anyone can join, with beginners’ classes preceding regular meetings and hands-on ﬁeld trips the following day. Members’ discoveries have been recognized nationally and gone into collections at UC, the Smithsonian, and the Field Museum in Chicago. Many Dredger fossils are on display in the Ancient Worlds Hiding in Plain Sight exhibition at the Cincinnati Museum Center. — C L A I R E L E F T O N

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY (TOP) BILL HEIMBROCK / (LEFT) DRY DREDGERS SOCIETY / (BOTTOM) RON FINE

I L LU S T R AT I O N S B Y B R I T TA N Y D E X T E R , A D A P T E D F R O M O H I O D E PA R T M E N T O F N AT U R A L R E S O U R C E S B E D R O C K G E O L O G I C M A P O F O H I O

ma = millions of years ago

Columbus

Zanesville

CAN YOU DIG IT? Cincinnati is one of the best fossil hunting regions in the Midwest, but you’ll have to do a bit of digging to discover these prehistoric treasures: river valleys, rocky outcrops and hillsides, and quarries are all great places to start. At Caesar Creek State Park in Waynesville, keen eyes can ﬁnd ancient marine fossils from the Ordovician period like brachiopods, bryozoans, and horn corals. If you’re planning to take your ﬁnds home with you, you’ll need a permit from the Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center. 4020 N. Clarksville Rd., Waynesville, (513) 897-1050 One of the largest state parks in Ohio is also one of the best for fossil hunting. East Fork State Park in Batavia features landscapes shaped by ancient glaciers: dry-forested hills, rocky outcrops, marshy swamps and waterways. In addition to brachiopods and bryozoans, lucky lookers might spot a

glimmer of gold, as this area was the site of a small gold rush in the late 1800s. A permit is also required here; call Army Corps of Engineers Visitor Center. 2185 Slade Rd., Batavia, (513) 797-6081 Trammel Fossil Park is deceptive; from the Interstate or even as you’re driving into the parking lot, there isn’t much to see but a craggy cliffside with little in the way of shade. Bring a hat, sunscreen, and a small shovel and be prepared to dig a little—this park is rife with brachiopods, bryozoans, and trilobites. Just leave some for the next explorers, too. Tramway Drive off Hauck Drive, Sharonville —SARAH McCOSHAM

PHOTOGRAPH BY CAROLINE EYER

ENDURING MYSTERIES Learning what we can about the pre-contact people who were here before the settlers arrived. B Y C E D R I C R O S E ARCHAEOLOGY COLLECTIONS MANAGER AND TRIBAL LIAISON Tyler Swinney buzzes me into the Cincinnati Museum Center’s Geier Collections & Research Center. As we enter its catacombs, he cautions me. Here lie human remains, he says. If for any reason I feel I should not enter, I should stop. I take this in a sort of spiritual sense: Humble thyself. While Swinney finishes a call, I check out a display of ancient artifacts made from once-living materials: bone, antler, and shell beads, flutes, fishhooks, projectile tips, and sewing needles. There’s a hoe made from a hand-sized mussel shell. But there are gaps where artifacts have been removed from display. I ask Swinney if these were taken for repatriation, per the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) legislation passed in 1990, which mandates the return of human remains and sacred objects to tribal descendants. No, says Swinney, who is also the museum’s NAGPRA coordinator. They’ve been pulled for an upcoming exhibition. Throughout the archive, flint, ceramic, and animal bone

pieces are sorted on trays and examined. Many were found near Cincinnati. When I first met Swinney, he was standing neck deep in a dig at the Hahn Village Site in Anderson Township’s Clear Creek Park. Sites throughout the region have been explored since the 18th century for clues about early America’s human inhabitants. The geometric earthworks and conical mounds created by the Adena, Hopewell, and Ft. Ancient cultures (contemporary designations for peoples known only through the archaeological record) inspired great curiosity. Just a few miles from the Hahn Village site stood the Turner Group Earthworks. This massive complex of chambers, hearths, and flues included symmetrical mounds linked with circles of stone. The site yielded painted figurines of the people who built the site, artworks of copper and mica, meteoric iron, and marine shells. Like many sites throughout the region, the Turner site was looted and hastily excavated, notably by Frederic Ward Putnam for Harvard’s Peabody Museum in the 1880s. It was ultimately obliterated by a gravel operation. PHOTOGRAPH BY NPS/TOM ENGBERG

Long Lost Mounds of Downtown Cincinnati

Broadway

Vine St.

riod,” Indigenous peoples began to build earthworks. Burial mounds and ridges ran across the site of what beLiberty St. came downtown Cincinnati. Earthen embankments, mistakenly thought to be fortifications, enclose hilltops in Hamilton, Mariemont, and Oregonia, 127 the location of Ft. Ancient, which is also Ohio’s oldest state park and part n to Washing of the recent UNESCO World Heritage Park Site designation given to Hopewell y w k Central P ceremonial earthworks across the 71 state. The wealth of pre-contact sites E. 9th St. 22 made the Ohio Valley the birthplace of American archaeology. Still, settlers E. 7th St. 4 struggled to see how the small bands of people they encountered could have 50 75 built such monumental structures. W. 6th St. t. S th By studying the design styles and 5 . E motifs of ceramics and tools, village 75 layouts, the genetic fingerprints of maize, human remains, and even their domesticated dogs, archaeologists W. 3rd St. and anthropologists have increasingly 75 mapped the complex, overlapping, and interconnected cultural tapestries of earthwork-building pre-contact cultures to contemporary American Indian groups. “They’re the same people,” Swinney says. Growing up on an Eastern Shawnee reservation in Oklahoma, cultural interpreter and artist Talon Silverhorn participated in the ceremonies, MAP QUEST Daniel Drake Humans have inhabited North Amer- hunting traditions, and arts of his tribe, who were forced from mapped the location ica for more than 20,000 years, says the Ohio Valley in the early 19th century. As cultural programs of downtown’s mounds and earthworks in his Swinney. Fluted “Clovis” tips have been manager for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Silver1815 book, Natural and Statistical View, or found in Ohio, as have butchering marks horn oversaw American Indian historical content in Ohio parks Picture of Cincinnati. on extinct megafauna, including those including the Shawnee Cultural Interpretive Center at Great of the Burning Tree mastodon, recovered near Columbus. But Council State Park in Xenia. Silverhorn also makes hyper-real populations remained small into the beginning of the Archaic digital portraits of pre-contact peoples. Period (8000 to 1000 BCE). As the climate warmed and hard“We actually just got back from a bus tour that brought alwood forests replaced spruce, the archaeological record reflects most 60 tribal citizens to Ohio from here in Oklahoma,” he says. increasing specialization in tools. Atlatl (spear throwers) and “On a grand tour of historic and cultural sites from really anstone axes turn up. Somewhere between three and four thou- cient, archaic history, all the way up through the Northwest Insand years ago, populations in Ohio and neighboring regions dian War.” For Eastern Shawnee people, “going back to Hopewell grew. Archaeological sites “become more common, and seem to sites and walking among those things is like a modern day Roshow groups stayed at individual locations longer,” writes Ohio man driving his Vespa in front of the Colosseum.” The material culture and the earthworks left behind by the University Professor of Anthropology and field school director Joseph Gingerich in the recent multi-author collection Settling Adena, Hopewell or Ft. Ancient culture “are a bridge for us to Ohio: First Peoples and Beyond. pre-contact,” he says. “Later Ft. Ancient culture is almost indisBeginning around 400 BCE, during the “Woodland Pe- tinguishable from early Shawnee culture, » CONTINUED ON PAGE 47 M A P BY B R I T TA N Y D E X T E R , A DA P T E D F R O M G R E G H A N D ’ S A N N OTAT I O N S O F DA N I E L D R A K E ’ S 1 8 1 5 M A P O F C I N C I N N AT I

THE CINCINNATI TABLET It’s a 5-by-3-inch piece of ﬁne-grained sandstone carved with curving, swirling lines and dots in the center of its ﬁeld and a series of diagonal and straight marks along its edges. Pulled from a mound on the west side of downtown in 1841, we don’t know exactly which Indigenous person made it, what tribe they represented, or what it was used for. “This object was never meant for you or I to ever see,” says Tyler Swinney, Cincinnati Museum Center’s NAGPRA (Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act) manager and tribal liaison. Even though “Native history is U.S. history,” Swinney notes that Americans today can have a difficult time understanding that. “There are different ways of knowing,” he says, pointing out that initial interpretations of objects like this one were being made by people with no reference to, framework for understanding, or even basic respect for Native peoples. And laws and guidelines requiring the protection of Native sites and the repatriation of Native objects did not begin to exist until 1966’s

National Historic Preservation Act. NAGPRA didn’t come along until 1990. As Swinney says, “This is history you have to really work to learn.” — A M A N D A B O Y D W A LT E R S

I L LU S T R AT I O N S BY ( TO P ) B R I T TA N Y D E X T E R / ( B OT TO M ) S A N D R A R I L OVA

47 material-wise . . . the way that they designed things, the geometry, and relationships to celestial bodies makes sense for us today,” he says. The Adena (800 BCE to 100 AD), Hopewell (200 BCE to AD 500), and Ft. Ancient (900 AD to 1550) peoples are believed to have been relatively egalitarian in social structure. Yet the individuals of which they were comprised coordinated annually across vast distances and generations to build and maintain some sites over a span of 2,000 years, eight times the longevity of our young republic. Earlier woodland people practiced horticulture, forest gardening. They managed the landscape with ﬁre, maintaining openings in the forest to promote beneﬁcial trees and plants. Rare pockets of Ohio prairie probably owe their survival to that practice. While the arrival of maize agriculture from Mexico sustained larger, less nomadic populations, a more sedentary lifestyle was a tradeoff, Swinney says, increasing competition for land. There was an increase in warfare. Ft. Ancient village populations rose to as many as 500 individuals. They were building 300 foot long timber structures, Silverhorn says, but not necessarily to live in. “They’re participating in Hopewell through shared beliefs. But Hopewell isn’t necessarily one people or one genetic group. It’s not one tribe. It’s multiple languages and cultures and beliefs and genetic lineages all blending together in this shared belief system that gives rise to geometric mounds.” Charred corn recovered from some sites seems to have travelled immense distances, brought by people who helped to build them, he says. “Ft. Ancient really shifts the paradigm. Because now, instead of living a lifestyle that’s almost unidentifiable on the landscape, people really settle into village living. . . . Ceremony begins to be internalized within the community. And this nucleates culture into a single place and into a group of people that now has the chance to be different and diversify from other groups.” With the shift to agriculture, he says, “Ft. Ancient begins to track the sun more than their ancestors who were more focused on the moon.” Yet European explorers into the Ohio » CONTINUED ON PAGE 48

MOUND BUILDERS

John E. Hancock, professor emeritus of architecture at UC specializing in architectural history, was principal author and photographer of the nomination dossier for Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks—eight massive ceremonial sites across southern Ohio used by Indigenous people as part of the Hopewell tradition 1,600 to 2,000 years ago—to the UNESCO World Heritage List. What exactly is an earthwork? An earthwork is a conﬁguration that’s made out of earthen lines, generally making some kind of an enclosure. What’s the reason for the cluster of sites in southern Ohio?

Everything’s not completely clear, but there seems to have been a phenomenon in southern Ohio about 2,000 years ago. Huge circles and squares and octagons and long parallel lines—and I mean huge. Each geometric shape is more than 1,000 feet across. They started bringing in materials—copper and obsidian from way out across the continent. The elaboration of ceremonial life and the creation of these way bigger, way more precise earth wall enclosures started right here in southern Ohio. How do you define the Hopewell tradition? Some of my archaeologist friends liken it to a religion, especially a religion like Roman

Catholic or Islam—a set of beliefs and symbolic practices that are shared by groups in many different places who have many different ways of life. That’s what the word “Hopewell” refers to—certain sets of ceremonial symbols, probably the practices that went with them, and a certain way of building earthworks, at least here in the Ohio heartland. Therefore, a certain time period when people were doing that, which was about 1 to 400 AD. It’s also important to point out that the name “Hopewell” is not a Native American word, and a lot of the tribes don’t much like it at all. It’s named after a land owner, a guy who owned a farm

» CONTINUED ON PAGE 49

(Above) Digital portrait of a leader from the Hopewell era, with detail derived from the archaeological record. I M A G E B Y TA L O N S I LV E R H O R N ( E A S T E R N S H AW N E E T R I B E O F O K L A H O M A )

48 Valley found only small villages, often in stages of abandonment. European materials from De Soto’s entrada were found at a Ft. Ancient site in Mariemont, even though the conquistador only made it to Tennessee. His arrival and subsequent colonists brought diseases that spread quickly among villagers lacking immunity, decimating whole populations. War and economic struggles fractured native ways of life. Here and throughout North America, indigenous populations began to ebb and flow in response to European settlement. Beginning in the 1680s, writes historian Kathleen DuVal in Native Nations: a Millennium in North America, Ohio Valley peoples fled violence from the Haudenosaunee and French “Beaver Wars” to their north, and captivity in the slave trade from the south. The Shawnee moved east. But they remained united, DuVal says, “by a connection to their Ohio Valley homeland.” In the 1700s, the Miamis, who are related to the Delaware, Ottawa, and Shawnee, became the most powerful tribe in Ohio. The Miami established a major center at Piqua. By the 1720s, in the relative peace that followed the Beaver Wars and a cessation in the Indigenous slave trade, the Shawnee returned to Ohio. A century later, they were finally forced west. Subsequent history is rife with broken treaties, forced relocations, and “re-education.” Archaeology, archaeologists will tell you, has been exploitative and destructive. But many archaeologists and anthropologists are working with native communities to document and reconnect them with their past, to protect graves and sacred sites. Swinney names a few: Robert Cook at OSU, Kevin Nolan at Ball State, Rebecca Wingo at UC, the Myaamia Center at Miami University. “I think of our ancestors,” Silverhorn says. “We don’t know

what language they spoke. We don’t know what they called themselves. We don’t know how they identiﬁed who was and who wasn’t part of this sort of shared experience. But I think the shared language that they’re using is something of science. Our ancestors would not be unfamiliar with the process of coming to conclusions. To, in some cases, digging up parts of the past.” But also, he says, “There are things we don’t know about the past because they were intentionally let go. Things that are

“Hopewell isn’t necessarily one people,” says Cincinnati Museum Center’s Tyler Swinney. “It’s multiple languages and cultures and beliefs.” intentionally buried.” This extends beyond human remains and objects, he says, to practices and ceremonies. “It’s OK for things to be forgotten, and it’s OK, I think, to relearn those things or to reawaken those things if they’ve simply just slipped from our memory. But for something to be intentionally broken and buried, for it to be put away—there was an intention for that thing to cease. The Native side of things says, ‘We understand that this is meant to go away, and we are respecting the wishes of those ancestors who made that choice’ . . . it’s like a deeper understanding. It gets to the heart of what humility and humbleness really, really are.” It takes humbleness to push aside past misconceptions, to see the past in an objective light. New revelations add nuance to our understanding of the past; the future of archaeology will make the past more recognizable to the peoples of tomorrow.

CONNECTING CULTURES The last Tribal Nation of Ohi-yo was removed from the state on July 20, 1843. Nevertheless, the city’s Indigenous population is alive and thriving. “We often get placed in historical context,” says Briana Mazzolini-Blanchard, executive director of Urban Native Collective. “We are not a people of the past. We are a people of the

present, and we will be people of the future.” Since the historic Nations were genocidally removed, the Indigenous population has rebuilt itself in a unique way. “The population of our region is intertribal and a mixture of many different nations and communities that have found themselves here,” she says. “All of

us are living away from our home. We’re looking and ﬁnding and grounding ourselves in community with other urban native people outside their homes.… We showcase the traditions of many Indigenous nations and peoples because we don’t just make up one people.” —CLAIRE LEFTON PHOTOGRAPH BY MIKE JAMES

PRESERVING NATIVE VOICES The Myaamia Center at Miami University turns 25 in 2026, marking a quarter century of the university’s efforts to honor the southwest Ohio Indigenous tribe for which it’s named. What started as one employee’s quiet quest to preserve Miami tribal culture, backed by the Miami tribe, has transformed into a larger initiative to revitalize Myaamia language and culture at one of the oldest public universities in the country. In addition to the Myaamia Center’s mission, Miami’s National Breath of Life Archival Institute for Indigenous Languages works with more than 20 Tribal Nations to keep these languages from extinction. In late 2024, the institute was awarded a $2.1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to expand access to archival materials, specialized training, and technology through increased grants, apprenticeships, and fellowships, demonstrating the university’s commitment to respecting the history and indigenous people of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma. — S A R A H M c C O S H A M miamioh.edu/centers-institutes/myaamia-center

outside Chillicothe, where archaeologists found a huge amount of really beautiful things among the graves. What are the beliefs shared by people across this tradition? The Indigenous cosmology is different from most kinds that we are accustomed to, in that it is very much tied to a respect for and belonging to the natural world. What are some of the ceremonial practices that happened at the earthworks? A lot of what we have the evidence for is burials—how the dead were prepared for

their journey to the afterlife, that they had to take their regalia with them. If they had ornaments they wore as leaders, that went with them, symbols of their role in life. How were Indigenous people able to create earthworks that were so precisely designed and constructed? The short answer is that it appears they did it with sticks and string, but to do it that big and with that much precision—near absolute precision—is a sign of real genius. What’s the significance of being named a UNESCO World Heritage

Site? My short answer to that is always fame and glory, but that means a lot, actually. Superﬁcially, it draws tourism. But what really matters about that is that Native Americans’ ancestors were geniuses and created these amazing places. Their ancestors have been classiﬁed as primitive savages, unfortunately, for a long time—we know what all the stereotypes are—but they were geniuses and they had this sophisticated culture and this amazing knowledge and they’re able to take great pride in that, as well they should. —EMMA BALCOM

(Clockwise from top left) The Myaamia Center holds a stomp dance at the Miami University practice football ﬁeld before the 2024 Myaamiaki Conference. Staff from the Myaamia Center share cultural education materials at the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma’s annual Winter Gathering in Miami, OK, 2025. Miami Tribe students attending Miami University receive a handmade graduation stole. Daryl Baldwin, executive director of the Myaamia Center, and Karen Baldwin, who makes the stoles, distribute them during the Myaamia graduation celebration, 2024. P H O T O G R A P H S B Y ( T O P ) S C OT T K I S S E L L , M I A M I U N I V E R S I T Y / ( B OT TO M R I G H T ) K A R E N B A L D W I N , M I A M I T R I B E O F O K L A H O M A / ( A L L OT H E R S ) J O N AT H A N F OX , M YA A M I A C E N T E R

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Photograph by Timothy E. Black

By Lisa Murtha

Southwest Ohio has been home to the world’s largest serpent effigy for a millennium at least. Its origins remain shrouded in mystery.

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( L E F T ) G R A P H I C I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y E M I V I L L A V I C E N C I O , A D A P T E D F R O M A N A R C H A E O L O G Y O F T H E S A C R E D : A D E N A - H O P E W E L L A S T R O N O M Y A N D L A N D S C A P E A R C H A E O L O G Y B Y W I L L I A M F. R O M A I N ( O P P O S I T E PAG E ) P H OTO G R A P H ( M O U N D) BY B R A D L E P P E R / ( TOW E R ) CO U R T E SY O H I O H I STO RY CO N N EC T I O N / (GRASS BACKGROUND) BY W I R OJ S I D/STO C K . A D O B E .CO M

round 1883, Harvard archaeologist Frederick enabled archaeologists to more accurately date the earthen Ward Putnam arrived among the lush, roll- structure; researchers also confirmed that the head of the sering hillsides of southwest Ohio, intent on re- pent was nearly perfectly aligned with the setting sun on the storing a mysterious earthen mound. It was summer solstice and the tail with the setting sun on the winter located on a plot of land he’d bought from a solstice. Geologists learned that Serpent Mound was built on local farmer with financial help from a group the edge of a 200-million-year-old asteroid impact crater full of magnetic anomalies. of Boston ladies, among them an “Indian enthusiast.” Shaped like a giant serpent with a precisely coiled tail, seven In short, this mysterious place continues to inspire quesrolling humps, and an open mouth surrounding a giant oval, the tions rather than provide answers. Add in that archaeology is, effigy stretched more than 1,300 feet from end to end at the edge by nature, an inexact and ever-changing science and the fact of a rock bluff overlooking Brush Creek. When Putnam arrived, the that the only ones who might have known what Serpent Mound mound was part of a working farm and in danger of disappearing. was—the Native Americans who lived here before us—were Cattle trod alongside it daily. Farmers tilled over it to plant crops. forcibly removed by the U.S. government in a near mass-exPutnam lived on-site in a canvas tent for three years as he tinction event, and it becomes clear that those trying to study excavated, explored, and rebuilt Serpent Mound. With no oral or the land today have an uphill battle. written records to assist, he tried to figure out who so meticulously built the giant effigy and very person interviewed for this true north why, but he also sought to preserve it. piece, in fact, admits that their SSS What he found was indeed mystetheories, though often backed by rious: a giant dirt snake holding decades of research, lived expesolar azimuth no bodies or artifacts; three rience, and/or detailed study, are nothing more than hysurrounding hill-shaped lunar azimuth pothesis or educated mounds containing NaWSS = winter solstice sunset conjecture. Still, there tive American remains M+SS = moon max south set SSR are some things we do and artifacts; and the SSR = summer solstice sunrise M-NR WSS know about Serpent remnants of a Native M+NR = moon min north rise American village. Mound. ESS = equinox sunset M-SS The findings ignitESR = equinox solstice sunset For starters, the ESS SSS = summer solstice sunset ed more than a century land Putnam spent SSS M-NS = moon min north set of questions, theories, three years excavating ESR WSR = winter solstice sunrise M-NS and interpretations, wasn’t always farmland M+SR = moon max south rise occupied by settlers. some of which strain celestial azimuths Native Americans of credulity. Is the Sercalculated for 300 B.C.ESS various cultures and tribes pent Mound the Garden WSR had been living in the Ohio of Eden, a spiritual mecca, M+SR valley for thousands of years, a portal to another world? A marker for an alien refueling stawell before Ohio became a state line of symmetry tion? Was it built by biblical giants? in 1803—a theory supported by rethrough feature An extinct race of technically advanced mains and artifacts archaeologists have humans? Or the ancestors of Native Ameriextracted from Serpent Mound, including a roughly 13,000-year-old Clovis spear point.“People, cans living in the Ohio River Valley? The only evidence on record actually recovered from the site from the beginning, have been walking on that landscape,” says points solely to Indigenous inhabitants, including the bones Brad Lepper, senior archaeologist for OHC’s World Heritage and artifacts Putnam found, which he extracted and shipped Program since 2021. But as the fledgling United States expanded westward, setoff to Harvard’s Peabody Museum, where they remain today. He also sealed up the village, intact, before Harvard transferred tlers conflicted regularly with Native peoples. President Andrew ownership of the site in 1900 to the nonprofit Ohio State Ar- Jackson felt the only solution was to sign the Indian Removal chaeological and Historical Society “for perpetual care as a Act into law in 1830. free public park,” per the original granite sign on site. In 1964, On paper, the act allowed the U.S. government to negotiate Serpent Mound was designated a National Historic Landmark. with Native Americans in the southeastern part of the U.S. for Later, the group overseeing it was renamed the Ohio History land; in reality, it sparked a decade-long mass removal event Connection (OHC). known as the Trail of Tears that, under Jackson’s successor, Meanwhile, science kept advancing, and new technologies Martin Van Buren, ultimately culminated in the relocation of

lined up (Opposite page) This diagram shows how the symmetry of Serpent Mound’s features align with the sun and moon as they move through the sky over the course of a year. (Left) Today, visitors can climb an observation tower to get a better perspective on Serpent Mound.

more than 50,000 Eastern Native Americans to new “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River. Several thousand more died on or after the journey. As the Indigenous people left, settlers took over millions of acres of land. By the time Ephraim Squier and Edwin Davis ﬁrst published information about Serpent Mound in 1848, no one living there had any idea why it was built or by whom. Putnam’s work on site in the late 1800s led him to believe the mound was built in what’s now known as the Adena Period (1000 BC/BCE through 100 AD/CE, according to OHC). But since the mound itself contained no artifacts or bodies, only soil, that theory was based more on edu-

P H OTO G R A P H S BY J O N AT H A N W I L L I S

cated opinion than anything else. A mysterious colleague with the surname MacLean visited the site during Putnam’s tenure and documented by map a wishbone-shaped structure he believed was located just above the egg-shaped mound. Lepper imagines “it was confusing to [Putnam], apparently,” because no one ever rebuilt it, and believes the wishbone mound is now hidden somewhere beneath the asphalt path surrounding the oval. More on that later. In an OHC article co-authored by Lepper and Shawnee Tribe Chief Ben Barnes, the pair state that archaeologists who have studied the site agree that: “Ancestors of American Indians built the mound.” Lepper

and Barnes say this is because every shred of evidence found on or near the site is what they each call “anthropogenic,” originating in human activity. But what they and other archaeologists can’t seem to agree on is which speciﬁc Native Americans, and when. Lepper has been thinking about Serpent Mound since he started at OHC in 1988 as curator and site archaeologist for the Hopewell-built Newark Earthwork. He was instrumental in getting the site inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, which includes more than 1,200 properties worldwide that, per the organization’s website,

Continued on page 110

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You Gotta Have Faith ike

ie P r u a L By

Photograp

hs by

Andrew Doench

Viral sensation Kevin James Thornton changes his (auto) tune after moving to Cincinnati and opening Shamala Hamala.

ONE MAN SHOW (LEFT, BELOW, AND PREVIOUS SPREAD) KEVIN JAMES THORTON, PHOTOGRAPHED AT SHAMALA HAMALA ON AUGUST 26, 2026. (BELOW RIGHT) THORNTON PERFORMS DURING NETFLIX IS A JOKE FEST IN 2024.

Kevin James Thornton

is a social media celebrity with millions of followers. He has been a composer, guitarist, and singer for roots rock bands that brought their tours to Bogart’s. He’s a professional photographer, darkroom skills and all. As a stand-up comedian, he has toured internationally for the past several years. His comedy special, Kevin James Thornton: Be Yourself, streams on Amazon Prime Video. He’s written, directed, produced, and starred in dramatic ﬁlms and TV series. He penned an opinion column for Huffington Post. He recently hosted a oneman show of his paintings. If just reading this list is exhausting, imagine what it is like to be Kevin James Thornton. He barely has time to run Shamala Hamala, his art studio and gallery in Over-the-Rhine that opened last year but is closed most of the time. (“You might be a little underwhelmed,” its website warns.) He edits the Shamala Hamala quarterly magazine and writes most of its articles. The spring issue was late to the printer because Thornton had an autobiography to promote. Wait, did I forget the book? He wrote Big Baby: On Endings, Beginnings, and an Interdimensional Cat (Grand Central Publishing) over the past few years, the same period in which he moved to Cincinnati. Big Baby came out in June. The publisher’s advance for it provided the down payment for his ﬁrst home with his name on the deed, a condo in OTR, making Thornton

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an official Cincinnatian. “It’s been too much,” he admits, in town in the spring between appearances. His idea of “a break” is making and posting multiple videos a day across multiple platforms; gifting a print to every single person who pre-ordered his book; planning a second comedy special (now airing free on YouTube); and, when time allows, hanging out with his boyfriend (they met in OTR at Homemakers Bar). On a cool spring day we sit down in Shamala Hamala, where the largest table is covered in his watercolors. “Painting With Kevin” is one of the recurring motifs in his videos of late; in them, he’s like a modern Bob Ross, at once inspiring, meandering, and soothing. He’s a handsome teddy bear of a man. His degree in musical theater shows in his winning smile, melliﬂuous voice, and precise hand gestures. He wears a tailored beige cotton baseball-style jacket over a coral pink shirt, white chest hair and tattoos poking out, and track pants and sneakers. A well-trimmed beard and thick-bordered black glasses frame his face. Where do I even begin our conversation? I’ve been a fan since the pandemic, discovering his hilarious videos about growing up as a closeted gay man in a conservative Christian community. His reminiscences— spoken or sung into a vocoder for an AutoTune effect with the tagline “It was the ’90s!”—went viral during the 2020 lockdown. A sample:

Some might see Thornton, I suggest to him, as an Energizer Bunny with a big ego. Without skipping a beat, he adds, “...who is pleasantly delusional!” lier comment doesn’t ruffle the man who has struggled for decades. He didn’t just starve for his art—he lived in his car for short periods. Today, he’s finally and unexpectedly comfortable. So he is turning his search to something as elusive as his pre-internet fame: an “off” button. Thornton is unique, and yet you’ve likely met someone like him. He’s the wickedly artistic polymath, whether the outlet is spicy stand-up, moody short films, subverted macho music, or experimental painting. He cannot stop creating. He will find—no, make—an outlet no matter where he goes. He struggled with his sexuality and wrestled with his faith. After discovering the alternative holy trinity of Andy Warhol, John Waters, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, he emerged out, proud, and wildly productive. But not necessarily successful. That would take years of trial and error. C O N T I N U E D O N PAG E 1 1 4

P H OTO G R A P H C O U R T E SY ( N E T F L I X I S A J O K E F E S T I VA L ) A N D R E W M A X L E V Y

In my super fundamentalist church when it was the ’90s, we used to do this thing called binding Satan. While we were praying someone would just start talking directly to the Devil and say, “We bind you, Satan!” And it’s not super clear how long the binding lasted but probably not very long because we did it all the time. And then we would pray a hedge of protection around the person, and I never thought it about it at the time but I think just hedge means bushes, which doesn’t sound super protective, which is why we had to bind Satan so he couldn’t get through the bushes. There’s so much ground to cover on his foibles, failures, and fantasies and how the internet blew open the many different doors he’d been beating on, unsuccessfully, since he was a teen. Some might see him, I suggest, as an Energizer Bunny with a big ego. Without skipping a beat, Thornton adds, “...who is pleasantly delusional!” Thornton is a charmer; add that to the list. A cava-

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Enjoy the Spirits

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY HALEY BLANK

BLUE STALLION BREWING CO.

Raise a glass to these regional breweries, speakeasies, and distilleries. O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 5 9

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breweries, speakeasies, and distilleries 950 Speakeasy Bistro A quintessential part of small-town Lagro, located right off the Wabash River, 950 Speakeasy Bistro is a family-friendly bar and eatery established by the Gillespie family, whose roots in the Lagro community go back generations. Each signature cocktail is crafted to be true to liquors of the Prohibition era, such as gin and whiskey. While the weather still holds, check out the al fresco seating options, perfect for watching live music on the weekends with a tasty cocktail. 950 Washington St., Lagro, Indiana, (260) 205-8775, 950speakeasy.com Adventure Spirits Distilling Adventure Spirits Distilling is the only craft cocktail lounge in Whitehouse, offering private tours, ϐ ǡ on education and innovation. It carries limited-release spirits for collectors and those with perceptive palates, and its private rooms allow for a more intimate tasting experience. The distillery has been open for nearly two years, and rave reviews make it an ideal spot for an immersive distillery experience. 10907 Waterville St., Whitehouse, Ohio, (419) 877-7720, adventurespiritsdistilling.com Blue Stallion Brewing Co. Since 2013, Blue Stallion Brewing has crafted traditional German ales and lagers in Lexington, ϐ heart of Kentucky. Head brewer JR Redmon draws upon his industrial engineering experience and the many years he spent in Germany to emulate ϐ Ǧ Hefeweizen. The taproom offers an array of beers

for enthusiasts and those who prefer a more approachable beverage, from light lagers and IPAs to sours. To pair with the drafts, customers can also purchase pies from the popular Yearling Pizza inside the taproom. 610 W. Third St., Lexington, Kentucky, (859) 785-1625, bluestallionbrewing.com Boone County Distilling Co. This distillery continues the legacy of the Petersburg Distillery, once the largest distillery in Kentucky before it shut down in 1910. While the original site has been demolished, it was reestablished in 2015 as the Boone County Distilling Co., which strives to create high-quality bourbon and respect history by using a single pot still, a rarity today. The distillery offers a variety of whiskey ϐ ǡ barrel of bourbon. It also offers distillery tours and its event center is available to rent for weddings, parties, and other gatherings. 10601 Toebben Dr., Independence, Kentucky, (859) 282-6545, boonedistilling.com Castle & Key Distillery Located in the heart of Frankfort, Kentucky, this distillery makes you feel like you’ve been transported back to 19th century Europe. With a historic castle, sprawling gardens, and natural springs, tours and tastings at Castle & Key immerse you in the story behind each barrel, and the service promises true Kentucky hospitality. Each bottle is crafted carefully in-house, and its new experimental series lets those with adventurous ϐ Ǥ 4445 McCracken Pike, Frankfort, Kentucky, (502) 395-9070, castleandkey.com Cedar Creek Winery, Brewing Co. and Distillery ǯ ϐ

GRAND TRAVERSE DISTILLERY

all-in-one winery, brewery, and distillery location. Originally known as the Cedar Creek Winery, this family-owned and -operated business has since expanded to incorporate a brewing company, distillery, and eatery, where one can buy wine, beer, spirits, and food all at the same property. Known for rustic architecture, lively atmosphere, and a large drink menu with moonshine, wine, and bourbon, Cedar Creek also hosts plenty of events, including a summer concert series. Check out its Nashville winery, too. 3820 Leonard Rd., Martinsville, Indiana, (765) 342-9000, drinkatthecreek.com Co-Sign Speakeasy In a city known for Prohibition-era bars, Co-Sign Speakeasy has been committed to evoking the same sophisticated, moody vibes of that era since its inception. With an immersive Pittsburgh speakeasy cocktail experience and a carefully curated space with Prohibition decor, it provides two sanctuaries for sharing drinks and being in the company of friends and family. To enjoy an Old Fashioned in a quintessential setting, visitors can choose between a library with leather seating and antique decor for a warm, welcoming environment or a more elaborate red room with plush velvet booths for larger gatherings. 145 E. Eighth Ave., Fourth Floor, Homestead, Pennsylvania, (412) 368-8579, cosignpgh.com Grand Traverse Distillery ǯ ϐ grain-to-bottle craft distillery. Located on a family farm, behind a barn, it has stayed true to its roots for more than 21 years by only sourcing grains from local farms. It distills, mashes, ferments, and ages every bottle it makes. Founded as a family business, the Grand Traverse team is proud to maintain those same values today. 781 Industrial Cir., Suite 5, Traverse City, Michigan, (231) 947-8635, grandtraversedistillery.com

CO-SIGN SPEAKEASY

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Grizzly Peak Brewing Company Known as the “Best Brewpub in Ann Arbor” by locals, Grizzly Peak Brewing Company offers an extensive list of site-made craft beers, as well as a full menu featuring hand-crafted pizzas, sandwiches,

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY (LEFT) CO-SIGN SPEAKEASY / (RIGHT) GRAND TRAVERSE DISTILLERY

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soups, and salads. Opened in 1995, it is housed glimpse of the building’s unique history. Its name in a historic, century-old building known to be a references the massive blaze that overtook Whisculinary landmark in downtown Ann key Row in 2015 and the vast amount of water Arbor—it previously housed ϐ ϐ ǡ ϐ INDIAN CREEK DISTILLERY the Old German Restaurant. before it was a speakeasy bar. This The brewery features is represented on the menu with specialty events such “Hell” featuring dark liquors, and as Pups on the Patio, “High Water” describing light where guests can bring liquor-based cocktails. their furry friends and 112 W. Washington St., Louiseven order them an ville, Kentucky, (502) 587-3057, entrée, with funds behellorhighwaterbar.com ing donated to the local Humane Society. Indian Creek Distillery Step back in time with a visit to Indian 120 W. Washington St., Ann Creek Distillery, Ohio’s oldest historic Arbor, Michigan, (734) 741-7325, distillery. Located in the rolling hills of southern grizzlypeak.net Miami County just north of Dayton, Ohio, owners Missy and Joe Duer and their daughter Carmony Hell or High Water have used the same copper stills and distilling A self-proclaimed subterranean cocktail lounge, process to keep their whiskey as high-quality as Hell or High Water is a speakeasy perfectly situit has been for seven generations, over more than ated underneath Whiskey Row in downtown Lou200 years. A “true sip of history,” its award-winning isville. It offers craft cocktails, elevated spirits, and Ohio Frontier Whiskeys are handcrafted one small a wide range of bourbons alongside 1920s-themed batch at a time. Prohibition-era decor. Peppered with vintage 7095 Staley Rd., New Carlisle, Ohio, (937) 846-1443, lights, rows of old books, red velvet booths, and indiancreekdistillery.com dark wood furnishings, patrons are treated to a

Jackie O’s Taproom and Brewery Located in the heart of Southeast Ohio, Jackie O’s Taproom and Brewery offers more than 50 differ ǲ ϐ and experimental nature of Athens.” Started by Ohio University alum Andrew Arthur Oestrike in 2007, the brewery commits to sustainable practices, including through its Barrel Ridge Farm, where it grows its own vegetables and herbs. Carrying anything from barrel-aged imperials to hazys to IPAs, Jackie O’s is a hidden gem in the scenic hills of Appalachia. 25 Campbell St., Athens, Ohio, (740) 447-9063, jackieos.com/location/taproom-brewery Journeyman Distillery Located in a historic 1800s corset factory, the Journeyman Distillery has been refurbished to offer distilling, an in-house restaurant, putting green, and lodging. It prides itself on being one ϐ Ǥ Ǥ The Staymaker restaurant offers a daily lunch and dinner menu, as well as a weekend-only brunch menu. The 30,000-square-foot putting green, located behind the distillery, also features a silo bar on-site. Its loft-style apartment com ϐ ǡ

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available to book year-round. 109 Generations Dr., Three Oaks, Michigan, (269) 820-2050, journeyman.com Lonz In true Prohibition era-fashion, you can’t simply walk into this speakeasy. Entering requires you to solve a riddle, and rules like “no bootlegging,” “no snitching,” and “no loud, obnoxious behavior” create a proper space for civil sipping. Inside Lonz, cocktails, small plates, and a coffee bar for nonalcohol drinkers provide a space for everyone to connect. Surrounding the speakeasy are campsites, the Lonz Mansion, and the Middle Bass Island Marina if you want to turn your bar experience into a weekend stay. 1719 Fox Rd., Middle Bass, Ohio, (440) 479-6615, lonz-mbi.com/lonz/prohibition

its rums. Known for a nationally distributed Ǧ ϐ ǡ sold in 14 states, Maggie’s Farm maintains its reputation in Pennsylvania as an independent craft distillery, determined to create high-quality products without compromise. Its original distillery offers a number of craft drinks and spirits to try, both in JOURNEYMAN DISTILLERY cocktail form at the bar, or in bottles for stocking your home supplies. 3212a Smallman St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (412) 709-6480, maggiesfarmrum.com

Maggie’s Farm Rum Distillery A staple in Pittsburgh, Maggie’s Farm Rum Distill ʹͲͳ͵ǡ ϐ of its kind commercially available in Pennsylvania since the Prohibition era. Its accolades are vast, as organizations such as The American Distilling Institute, American Craft Spirits Organization, and many more have recognized the quality of

New Albanian Brewing Company A regional craft brewer with distribution throughout Indiana and Kentucky, the New Albanian Brewing Company was once ranked sixth among the world’s best craft breweries by the now-defunct consumer beer rating website Ratebeer.com. The company operates two breweries: one that shares facilities with its taproom and gastropub, and the

original building, which functions as a research and development hub and shares space with the New Albanian Pizzeria & Public House. The pizzeria has a plentiful menu of food, served alongside various draft beers. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, Indiana, (812) 944-2577, newalbanian.com Old 55 Distillery A family-owned business, Old 55 makes corn whiskey, single barrel bourbon, and 100 percent sweet corn bourbon. Tucked away off Indiana State Road

danvillekentucky.com

SMALL TOWN • BIG GETAWAY

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY JOURNEYMAN DISTILLERY

Just a short drive south, trade the city for historic streets, Ѵo1-Ѵ Y- ouķ 0o u0omķ -u|v -m7 ];m bm; ;m| 1h _ovrb|-Ѵb| ĺ

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55, which is also the distillery’s namesake, Old 55 has set out to craft a true Midwestern whiskey. As ϐ Ǧ Ǧ ǡ ͷͷǯ ϐ Ǥ ǡ Ǥ 311 E. Washington St., Newtown, Indiana, old55distillery.com Omni Louisville Pin + Proof

ǲ ǳ Ǧ ance. The menu features allocated spirits with ǯ ǡ Ǧ Ǥ ǯ ǡ Ǧ ǡ Ǥ 400 S. Second St., Louisville, Kentucky, (502) 313-6664, omnihotels.com/hotels/louisville/dining/pin-and-proof

OMNI LOUISVILLE PIN + PROOF

Omni William Penn Hotel Speakeasy ͳͻʹͲ Ǥ ǡ Ǧ ǡ ǡ Ǥ Ǧ ǡ ǡ Ǥ ǯ Ǥ 530 William Penn Pl., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (412) 281-7100, omnihotels.com/hotels/ pittsburgh/william-penn/dining/the-speakeasy Quintana’s Speakeasy ͳͻʹͲ ǡ ϐ ϐ ǯ ǡ Ǧ ness deals are made and patrons chew the Ǥ ϐ Ǥ classic handcrafted cocktails and a wide ǡ ǡ ǡ

Experience, Explore, Enjoy & Escape Discover the beauty, adventure, and comfort of fall around every corner.

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Short Drive to Cleveland, Akron, Canton & Youngstown

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Chilean bruschetta. 2200 S. Taylor Rd., Cleveland Heights, Ohio, (216) 262-8288, qbds.net/speakeasy River Saint Joe Brewery This idyllic farmstead brewery offers farm-fresh food, beer, and cider. Located on Flatwater Farms, the brewery is loyal to farmhouse brewing traditions using local and organic ingredients. Dedicated to sustainability, it prioritizes using solar energy and eliminating waste. The brewery takes its name from the St. Joseph, the third-longest river in Michigan, located just to the south. It also hosts seasonal

QUINTANA’S SPEAKEASY

and recurring events in its indoor and outdoor spaces, such as morning yoga classes, book club, live music on Mondays, dancing, and more. 15475 Walton Rd., Buchanan, Michigan, (269) 409-8015, riversaintjoe.com

SpeakEasy at the Spa SpeakEasy at the Spa is located on the Calumet River, where it’s rumored that Al Capone smuggled in booze from Canada during the Prohibition. Regardless of the legend’s truth, nowadays the Spa keeps its historic charm intact with tin ceilings, a 90-year-old horseshoe bar from a ChiRIVER SAINT JOE BREWERY cago saloon, and a vintage Seeburg jukebox. While it may not be an actual spa, it is surely a place to relax and have a nice drink in the Indiana Dunes. 333 N. Mineral Springs Rd., Porter, Indiana, (219) 9347677, thespaspeakeasy.com

Sig Luscher Brewery This brewery has history dating back to the 1860s, when Sigmund Luscher ϐ Memphis, Tennessee. However, during the Civil War, the brewery burned down. Luscher managed to make enough money to reopen in Frankfort, Kentucky, at the Capital Brewing Company, but the brewery closed following his death in 1891. For the next 127 years, Frankfort was without a single brewery. Descendants of the Luscher family reopened the eighth oldest brewery in America, the new Sig Luscher Brewery, in 2018, which serves in-house beer and craft hot dogs. 221 Mero St., Frankfort, Kentucky, (502) 699-2414, sigluscherbrewery.com

Starlight Distillery Starlight Distillery, located on one of the largest fruit farms in Indiana, has used its crops in its distillation process for decades. The rural southern Indiana community of Starlight as been a wine and brandy capital since 1843. The Huber family leaned on that tradition to ϐ state to produce bourbon. Not only does the historic site offer tours of its orchards, vineyards, and distillery, as well as tastings, but it also prides itself

SHELBYVILLE | SIMPSONVILLE | SHELBY COUNTY, KENTUCKY

This fall, take the road less traveled.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY (LEFT) QUINTANA’S / (RIGHT) RIVER ST JOE

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Plan a visit to Your Bourbon Destination® at visitshelbyky.com.

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spans 16 pages with local and international options to choose from. Take a seat at the intimate bar space and try Tartan House’s wide selection of American whiskeys, small-batch bourbons, and Scotch blends that live up to the expectations of the most particular liquor connoisseurs. Contrary to a traditional speakeasy’s selective entry methods, Tartan House’s relaxed ambiance welcomes anyone in Louisville looking for a place to try crafted cocktails. 1027 E. Main St., Louisville, Kentucky, tartanhousebar.co

THE STUDY

on being a family-friendly establishment. Visit the Starlight Café for a bite to eat, race pedal carts, and even visit its corn maze for a perfect fall getaway. 19816 Huber Rd., Borden, Indiana, (812) 923-9463, starlightdistillery.com Tartan House This neighborhood speakeasy’s selection of spirits

The River Bottom The River Bottom is a unique, 1930s-inspired speakeasy featuring a Mediterranean menu with ϐ Ǥ features cold and hot mezze dishes, salads, sandwiches, as well as vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free options, and drinks such as handcrafted cocktails inspired by the speakeasy era and a diverse beer selection. The bar also serves as a private event space for birthday and engagement parties, receptions, corporate gatherings, and private dinners. 267 Kalamazoo St., South Haven, Michigan, (269) 637-4837, theriverbottomsoha.com

The Study This speakeasy features a modern-day prohibition-era aesthetic, inspired by the 1920s. The Study shares a home with a comedy club and mimics the secrecy of true speakeasies by requiring a password for guests to be able to enter. The bar offers Prohibition-themed drinks, jazz music, ǡ ǡ ϐ ǡ more. The bar also offers events, many of which are free, such as trivia nights, tarot card readings, live music, and more. 321 E. Main St., Niles, Michigan, (574) 320-8291, undergroundlaughlounge.com/the-study Thieme and Wagner Brewing Company Founded in 1863 by German immigrants Frederick A. Thieme and John Wagner, the Thieme and Wagner Brewing Company serves beer, wine, and liquor, along with a small food menu. The brewery shut down in 1960, but was ʹͲͳ͸ ϐ Ǧ Ǧ generation father-and-son duo Brian and David Thieme. David, the great-great-great-grandson of Frederick A. Thieme, tracked down missing recipes his ancestor used, and now brews and sells above-standard beer. The brewery occasionally hosts trivia and bingo events and live

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PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY THE STUDY

Take a step back in time to Indiana’s oldest, award winning Bed & Breakfast tucked away in scenic Brown County. Experience farm to table dining in the historic Story Inn and visit our prohibition era gin still turned basement tavern.

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music as well. 652 Main St., Lafayette, Indiana, (765) 607-4804, facebook.com/thiemeandwagner

Prohibition Act of 1919, the high-end lounge is rich with Sandusky history. 316 E. Water St., Sandusky, Ohio, volsteadbar.com

Twin Oast Brewing Twin Oast Brewing is a year-round destination brewery and restaurant located on Catawba Island, Ohio, along the Lake Erie Shores. It is known for its award-winning craft beer, classic pub and seasonal favorites, expansive indoor and outdoor dining, and one of the country’s top-rated beer gardens. It hosts a number of events, from weekly taproom happenings to seasonal offerings like its Autumn at the Oast fall series and Oastoberfest in early October. 3630 NE. Catawba Rd., Port Clinton, Ohio, (419) 573-6126, twinoast.co

Wigle Whiskey Wigle Whiskey, located in the Strip District of Pittsburgh, received accolades from the American Craft Spirits Association as being the most awarded craft distillery in the country. Named after Phillip Wigle, who defended the right to distill in the 1790s and played a major role in the

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY TWIN OAST BREWING

Volstead Bar During Prohibition, Volstead was a brothel called The Green Door, owned by a mysterious woman referred to as Madame Frankie. During her time, it’s rumored that the high-class brothel was visited once by Al Capone. Now, the building has been turned into a speakeasy-style bar with various cocktails made from top-shelf liquor. Named after ǡ ϐ

Whiskey Rebellion, Wigle Whiskey has held onto that same commitment to produce Pennsylvania’s ϐ Ǥ extensive history through private or public tours, attend a tasting, or even taste its craft drinks in its restaurant, Wigle Bar & Kitchen. 2401 Smallman St., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, (412) 224-2827, wiglewhiskey.com Yough River Brewing A small start-up brewery in Connellsville, Yough River Brewing offers a variety of small-batch, high-quality handcrafted brews on a 12-tap beer system. It offers IPAs, fruited beers, sours, pale and brown ales, porters, and more to match a variety of taste preferences and palates, as well as local liquors and cocktails for those less fond of brews. Yough River Brewing is the perfect fall venue to meet with friends, where it hosts food trucks and local musical artists regularly. The brewery is also prepared for all weather months, with an expan ϐ reminisce with a cold beer. 1030 S. Arch St., Connellsville, Pennsylvania, (724) 322-4568, youghriverbrewing.com/home

TWIN OAST BREWING

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1 LUX ROW BARDSTOWN, KY 40004

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SCHOOLS The Open House Guide

P H O T O G R A P H B Y S H I N TA R TA N YA / S T O C K . A D O B E .C O M

Learning Together What local schools want prospective families to know now.

PLUS

A select list of open house events

20–26 2027

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MASCOT YEARBOOK These local school mascots were voted “Most Unforgettable” in the region. —CLAIRE LEFTON

THE BLUE BLOB

THE MADHATTERS

THE PANDAS

Xavier University

Oyler School

Notre Dame Academy

TBB was created in 1985 as a kid-friendly alternative when spirit squad coordinator Sally Watson noticed the Musketeer mascot D’Artagnan was frightening children.

A very merry un-birthday to the mascot of this Lower Price Hill public school named after the former hat factory with which it shared a street.

In 1976, sophomore Beverly Rosing submitted a list of every stuffed animal in her bedroom for a mascot contest. Judges picked the panda for being uniquely identifiable and having the school’s initials in its name.

Highlights: Appearing in two SportsCenter commercials

Senior Quote: “We’re all mad here.”

STINKER THE SKUNK

THE DOLPHINS

FIGHTING CAMELS

Art Academy of Cincinnati

Covington Sixth District Elementary School

Campbell County High School

While Stinker was formally introduced in 2018, he’s been a fixture of AAC culture since the ’90s when the school’s intramural soccer team stunk so bad they decided to become The Stinks.

Over a decade ago, then-principal Tony Ross—a Miami Dolphins fan—got students to vote on a new mascot to replace the racially insensitive Apaches. Through the power of democracy (and light suggestion), they landed on the Dolphins.

Despite being the mascot since the 1930s, the origins of the Fighting Camel remain up for debate even among experts at the Campbell County Historical Society. It was chosen either because camel sounds like Campbell or the school’s town (Alexandria) evokes the Egyptian city of the same name, which can be associated with camels.

Mephitidae President of Annual Stinkstock Festival

Senior Quote: “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee”

Superlative: Voted Most Mysterious

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I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y J E S S I C A D U N H A M

Highlights: Being recognized by USA Today in 2013 as one of the most unique high school sports mascots in the country.

#1 Catholic High School in Ohio #1 Catholic K-12 School in Ohio

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COME ON IN We asked local schools what prospective families can expect at an open house event and how to make the most of the experience. Here are some of their tips.

Every day in our Catholic schools, students are invited to encounter Jesus Christ, grow in virtue, and discover the unique purpose God has for their lives. Our principals, teachers, coaches, and staff help students experience the Lord in extraordinary ways through the truth, goodness, and beauty found in both academic and extracurricular disciplines: math, science, literature, the arts, language, sport, history, and theology. We support students in discovering their God-given gifts and becoming the people they were created to be. When prospective families visit our schools during open houses and enrollment events, they experience more than strong academics and outstanding programs. They encounter welcoming communities rooted in faith, where Christ is at the center of all we do. Our schools strive to create environments where every child is valued, challenged, and loved. / i Li iwÌÃ v > >Ì V i`ÕV>Ì extend well beyond graduation. Our graduates are more likely to remain active in their faith, more civically engaged, and more likely to serve their communities as adults. Thanks to opportunities such as Ohio’s EdChoice Scholarship Program and the Catholic Education Foundation of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, a Catholic education has never been more accessible. We invite families to visit our schools, meet our educators and students, and discover how Catholic education prepares young people not only for success in college and careers, but also for lives of faith, purpose, leadership, and service.

with 750 students, offering a wide range of college prep classes to prepare students for the future. We invite you to join us at an upcoming Admissions event to learn more and discover how you can be part of something extraordinary at Badin High School! —Angie Gray, Director of Marketing Communications

Bethany School Glendale Are you seeking an extraordinary educational experience for your child? Look no further than Bethany School, a private K-8 Episcopal School empowering students to thrive in a diverse world. Join us for an upcoming open house where you can come and see our stunning 23-acre campus and top-ofthe-line facilities. Enjoy a tour led by one of our Bethany Ambassadors where

In Our Lady, —Matt Daniels, Superintendent

Badin High School Hamilton Badin High School serves students in Butler, Hamilton, Preble, and Warren counties of Ohio, plus SW Indiana. Badin is a co-educational Catholic high school 7 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

you will learn about the experiences our students and families enjoy on a daily basis. Current parents and members of our admissions team will be available to answer your questions and help you start your application process. Come see why Bethany may be the school for your young person! —Mark Phair, Director of Advancement

Bishop Fenwick High School Franklin Bishop Fenwick presents itself to prospective families as a school where academic excellence, Catholic identity, student belonging, and a strong sense of community come together. Our goal is not simply to provide information, but to help families experience what it means to be part of the Fenwick community and

PHOTOGR APH BY ANTONIODIA Z / S TOCK . ADOBE.COM

Archdiocese of Cincinnati Catholic Schools Office Cincinnati

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families to leave knowing that Fenwick is a place where their child can be known, challenged, supported, and prepared to thrive—and where their family can become part of something larger than themselves. —Mrs. Chris Kemper, Director of Enrollment

Children’s Meeting House Montessori School Loveland When prospective families visit CMH’s open house, they’ll experience a vibrant Montessori community where children are supported, challenged, and inspired to grow into their fullest potential. Our holistic approach nurtures the whole child—academically, emotionally, socially, and physically—at their own pace and to their personal best. Students thrive within a layered support system that includes multiage classrooms, threeÞi>À i>À } VÞV iÃ] ÌiÃÃ À ViÀÌ wi` faculty, and uninterrupted work periods. Creativity and curiosity are valued just as highly as academic achievement. Families will learn how CMH students master core subjects like math, science, and language at a comprehensive, hands-on level. Learning is movement-based, collaborative, and rooted in

decision-making, time management, and critical thinking—life skills formed early and carried forward. Our campus sets us apart. CMH is the only Montessori school in Cincinnati located on seven acres of woods and meadows, surrounded by hundreds more. Students hike, garden, compost, and study nature daily—guided by our full-time naturalist staff, a unique offering among local Montessori schools. They explore ecology, zoology, botany, building a deep, lasting connection with the environment. From insect metamorphosis to gardening, students learn patience and results. To make the most of the open house, families are encouraged to ask questions, observe classrooms, and envision their child in this setting. Meet our faculty, talk with current families, and explore how independence and collaboration are woven into every part of the day. What we most want to share is this: CMH is more than a school. It’s a place where students are known, respected, and empowered—prepared not just for academic success, but for a meaningful life beyond the classroom. —Jessica Anderson, Director of Admissions and Advancement

PHOTOGR APH BY RIDO / S TOCK . ADOBE.COM

envision their student thriving here. Our Open House provides families with an opportunity to experience Fenwick from multiple perspectives. Visitors can tour our campus, meet with faculty and staff, learn about academic and extracurricular opportunities, explore our Catholic co-educational experience, and connect with current students and families. We want prospective students to hear directly from the people who know Fenwick best and experience the welcoming, family-oriented culture that `iw iÃ ÕÀ ÃV ° Members of our entire school community play an important role, including administrators, faculty, coaches, activity leaders, current students, parents, and alumni. Their involvement helps prospective families see that Fenwick is more than a school, it is a community where relationships matter. This year, we will be especially focused on helping families understand what makes Fenwick different: our Õ >ÌV i` VÕ ÌÕÀi] Ì i Li iwÌÃ v > Catholic co-educational education, opportunities for students to discover their gifts and interests, and the ways we support students academically, personally, and spiritually. Our enrollment strategy emphasizes creating a clearer sense of belonging and student life for families as they consider their options. Most of all, we want prospective

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where he

BELONGS where he

BECOMES

See what’s possible at Moeller

Join us at Open House on November 8

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iscove D

YOU @

Cincinnati Country Day School Indian Hill Call or visit our website today to arrange a personalized campus tour and meet with our admission team. Apply for admission and tuition aid/scholarship consideration by December 1. Every day, students are known, nurtured, and inspired, both academically and personally. Across our 60-acre V> «ÕÃ] Ì iÞ LÕ ` Ì i V w ì Vi Ì Ì ì«i ì Ì Þ] w ` i> }vÕ solutions, and discover who they are. At Country Day, care means helping students become capable. High standards are an act of belief. Technology is used with purpose, not by default. Challenge isn’t something to avoid; it’s something students are supported by exceptional teachers and a community that knows them well. As a truly independent school, we have the freedom to do what we believe is right for children, even when it isn’t the easiest path. We nurture character alongside intellect, preparing students not only for college, but for lives of purpose, leadership, and impact. Because students deserve an education that expects more of them, believes more of them, and prepares them for more than school alone. —Aaron Kellenberger, Director of Enrollment Management

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy Symmes Township & Downtown At Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy, our community is a diverse family of students, teachers, parents, administrators, friends, and others who believe in the power of Christian education to transform lives. When you join us at Open House, Þ Õ½ i V Õ ÌiÀ Ì Ã V Õ ÌÞ w ÀÃÌ hand. Through guided and self-guided tours at each of our four campuses, you will discover how world-class educators and a theologically integrated curriculum collide for a personalized learning experience that challenges, engages, and grows. You’ll meet our teachers and program leaders and hear how our holistic approach to education is shaping hearts and minds. And you’ll uncover the multiple ways your student can develop their God-given gifts in academics, the arts, athletics, service, and more so they can become who they were made to be. It’s our desire to come alongside families in equipping and empowering students for success so they can impact > ` y Õi Vi Ì i Ü À `° 7 i Þ Õ come to CHCA, you become part of a community committed to excellence in all things. Join us at Open House and see for yourself why so many choose to call CHCA home.

OPEN HOUSE October 25 Learn more about our Admissions Events & register for Open House

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—Danielle Wilson, Executive Director of Enrollment & Brand Strategy

Every day...

...unlocks leadership potential. Every day we connect students from 18 months to 18 years both academically and personally. Whether in the classroom or on our 60-acre campus, students are known, nurtured, and inspired through innovative learning, independent thinking, and self-discovery. Lead the way by bettering yourself, others, and a dynamic world. Private busing is available to and from the Oakley/Hyde Park and Mason/West Chester areas.

INQUIRE, APPLY, AND DISCOVER OUR GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIP AND TUITION AID OPPORTUNITIES AT WWW.COUNTRYDAY.NET.

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CINCINNATI

WALDORF SCHOOL

WHAT IF SCHOOL FELT DIFFERENT? Discover The Cincinnati Waldorf School at our Open House

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by City Beat Magazine Readers

JOIN US FOR OUR OPEN HOUSE Saturday, November 7 from 10am-1pm

Preschool – 12th Grade

RSVP HERE

513.541.0220, ext. 2 www.cincinnatiwaldorfschool.org

Voted Best Private School 2023, 2024 & 2025

What if school meant fewer screens and more real-world experiences? What if success meant more than remembering facts for a test, and instead meant ìÛi « } V w ì Vi] VÕÀ Ã ÌÞ] > ` Ì i >L ÌÞ Ì Ì ì«i ì Ì Þ¶ ƂÌ Cincinnati Waldorf School, academic iÝVi i Vi Ã À Ìi` VÀi>Ì Û ÌÞ] Ûi ment, music, hands-on learning, and the natural world. Families from across the region are drawn to our whole-child approach and our commitment to meeting students at i>V ÃÌ>}i v ìÛi « i Ì° / iÞ ÃÌ>Þ LiV>ÕÃi Ì iÞ ` ÃV ÛiÀ > V Õ ÌÞ Ì >Ì iÝÌi `Ã LiÞ ` Ì i V >ÃÃÀ ] Ü Ì opportunities to connect through Parent E ` V >ÃÃiÃ] V Õ ÌÞ Ã } }] > ` ÕÀ Û LÀ> Ì *>Ài Ì ƂÃÃ V >Ì ° Our open house invites prospective v> iÃ Ì iÝ«iÀ i Vi Ì >Ì V Õ ÌÞ w ÀÃÌ > `° Ý« Ài ÕÀ >À Þ ` `] Grade School, and High School programs, visit classrooms, meet teachers and students, and connect with current «>Ài ÌÃ > ` v>VÕ ÌÞ° "ÕÀ Ìi>V iÀÃ Ü Li on hand to share more about our curricu Õ > ` > ÃÜiÀ Þ ÕÀ µÕiÃÌ Ã° Want to see our teachers and students >VÌ > ÌÞ« V> ÃV `>Þ¶ Parents and prospective high school students are invited to schedule an observational tour with our enrollment ` ÀiVÌ À° >L iÃ >À Ã >Ài > Ü>ÞÃ welcome. Prospective preschool families are also invited to our annual Seasonal Craft E *ÀiÃV v À >Ì Ûi } i cember. Create a needle-felted mouse, i Þ Ìi> > ` V iÃ] > ` i>À vÀ our lead preschool teachers about preschool readiness and how our curriculum honors and protects the sacred space of childhood. ƂÌ V >Ì 7> ` Àv -V ] i>À }

• Located on 7 acres of thick woods,

lush meadows and surrounded by acres of nature preserves––our natural world is part of our classroom

OPEN HOUSE: October 1nth, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Details at YYY Emhschool.com

• Amazing kids, Engaged parents

and Devoted teachers that are the heartbeat of our school community

927 O’Bannonville Rd. Loveland, OH 45140 7 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

(513) 683-4757

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• Serving preschool through 8th grade

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Where learning happens, naturally

Cincinnati Waldorf School Mariemont

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“ G-U E S S W HAT I DID IN

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happens in moments students carry with them: knitting, baking bread, watercolor painting, creek walks, playing a string instrument in chamber orchestra, or a senior trip to Maine. These experiences LÕ ` V w `i Vi] VÀi>Ì Û ÌÞ] «iÀÃi ÛiÀ> Vi] > ` V iVÌ ] «Ài«>À } students for college, leadership, lifelong learning, and life.

Amir designed it, drafted it, and built it.

—Kate Kelley, Enrollment Director

Creative Tots Preschool – Mason Mason and surrounding areas / Ã Ã > } Ì v v> Þ vÕ t i Û Ã Ì ÕÀ V >ÃÃÀ Ã Ü Ì ÕÀ Ìi>V iÀÃ > ` vi Ü Ài>Ì Ûi / ÌÃ½ v> iÃ° 7i Ü >Ûi fun Halloween games, a magician, face painter and Halloween concert. Come Ãii Ü >Ì Li } > «>ÀÌ v Ì i Ài>Ì Ûi Tots family is all about! —Emilie Parry, Owner

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Great Oaks Career Campuses 36 School Districts in Southwest Ohio Ài>Ì "> Ã Ã Ì i >À}iÃÌ «ÕL V V> ÀiiÀ ÌiV V> ÃV ` ÃÌÀ VÌ " partnering with 36 school districts in an area spanning 2,200 square miles. Each year, thousands of area high school juniors and seniors prepare for > V>ÀiiÀ >Ì i v Ài>Ì "> Ã½Ã ÃÌ>Ìi v Ì i >ÀÌ V> «ÕÃiÃp > ` "> Ã i Ì Àii / Ü Ã «®] >ÕÀi "> Ã 7 }Ì ] Ûi "> Ã v À`] À -V>À iÌ "> Ã - >À Û i° *À viÃÃ > ViÀÌ w V>Ì Ã >Û> >L i > Ü `i À> }i v V>ÀiiÀ w i `Ã] vÀ i> Ì V>Ài Ì } ÌiV > Õv>VÌÕÀ } to cybersecurity to construction trades, culinary arts, cosmetology, digital arts, > > ÃV i Vi] >ÕÌ ÌiV }Þ] >Û >Ì iV > VÃ] w Àiw } Ì }] > ` Ài° ƂVÀ ÃÃ its four campuses, Great Oaks offers ÛiÀ Îä ` vviÀi Ì «À }À> Ã Ì >Ì v VÕÃ skills in demand by industry. Students Ã«i ` > v v Ì i ÃV `>Þ Ì i À ÃÕ «iÀ i iVÌ Ûi >L «À }À> Ã > ` Ì i Ì iÀ half in academic classes. High school students can earn college credits, gain

At Seven Hills, students are challenged and guided by expert teachers in small classes. If your student is ready to be pushed and supported, we would love to show you more.

REGISTER FOR AN ADMISSION EVENT Walk & Talk Group Tours from 9-10 a.m. Grades 9 - 12 Tuesday, Oct. 6 Thursday, Oct. 15 Thursday, Oct. 22 Tuesday, Nov. 3 Tuesday, Nov. 17 Grades 6 - 8 Wednesday, Oct. 28

Grades 1 - 5 Tuesday, Oct. 6 Wednesday, Oct. 14 Pre-k - Kindergarten Offered most Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, now through Nov. 5

Questions & Conversations Virtual Events: Grades 6 - 12 Wednesday, Oct. 28 Thursday, Jan. 21

Pre-k - Grade 5 Tuesday, Oct. 20 Virtual events are held on Zoom at various times

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work experience through internships and co-ops, and secure industry credentials. Great Oaks also offers over 100 “satellite” programs embedded in 30 partnering high schools across the region focused on workforce development including biomedical sciences, business management, marketing, teaching professions, and more. The district serves adult learners through career training in high-demand w i ` i Üi ` }] i>ÛÞ iµÕ « i Ì operations and engineering, police, and health care, among many others. Great Oaks also provides programs like English for speakers of other languages, } ÃV iµÕ Û> i VÞ] > ` «iÀÃ > enrichment classes. Partnerships with local business, education, and community agencies help shape the programs offered. —Kati Cleary, Community Relations Assistant

Mercy McAuley High School College Hill Future Wolves of all grade levels and parents are invited to see all that Mercy McAuley has to offer at its Open House on Sunday, October 25, from 1 to 3:30 pm. Guests will take a student-led tour; talk with school leaders, teachers, coach-

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Preparing Students for What’s Next

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es, staff, and students; learn more about our academic, athletic, and extracurricular programs; and more. Those who attend will also enjoy refreshments and giveaways. —Patty Thelen, Director of Marketing

Miami Valley Christian Academy Newtown At Miami Valley Christian Academy, we believe every student is uniquely created by God with purpose and potential. From preschool through grade 12, our faculty and staff cultivate a nurturing, Christ-centered environment where students are known, challenged, and prepared to impact the world for Christ. We are currently building a NEW high school located three miles from our current campus! We are fully accredited with ASCI and COGNIA and we offer V «iÌ Ì Ûi >Ì iÌ VÃ > ` Õ µÕi w i >ÀÌÃ opportunities. Tuition ranges from $8,078 to $12,022. —Jill Beasley, Advancement Director

Archbishop Moeller High School Montgomery At Moeller, family and brotherhood are >Ì Ì i i>ÀÌ v Ü Üi >Ài° À Ì i w ÀÃÌ time a prospective family walks through our doors, we want them to feel welcomed, connected, and able to picture themselves as part of the Moeller Family. Open House is an opportunity not simply to see our campus and programs, but to experience the relationships and sense of Li } } Ì >Ì `iw i i iÀ° Our students play an especially important role in Open House, serving as tour guides and sharing their own experiences along the way. Rather than simply walking families from one area to another, they offer a student perspective on life at Moeller. They talk about what they love, where they have found their place, and how they have grown. Faculty and staff, coaches, counselors, administration, parents, and alumni also participate, giving prospective families the opportunity to hear from the people who make up the Moeller community. We continue to highlight our commitment to educating young men through REALearning (Relational, Experiential, and Authentic). We also want families to see the breadth of opportunity available to our students, from rigorous academics and innovative programs in spaces

such as the Burns Innovation Hub to faith formation, leadership, service, athletics, co-curriculars, and our nationally recognized House System. A Moeller education is about more than preparing him for college. It is about surrounding him with people who know him, challenge him, support him, and help him discover what he is capable of as he grows into a remarkable man prepared to lead, serve, and make an impact long after graduation. —Tara Grewe, Director of Marketing and Communications

Mount Notre Dame Reading Ã } > } ÃV Ã Ài Ì > w ` ing the right classes or activities. It’s about w ` } Ì i « >Vi Ü iÀi Þ ÕÀ `>Õ} ÌiÀ Ü be known, challenged, supported, and empowered to become the young woman God created her to be. We invite you to experience that place at Mount Notre Dame’s Open House. From the moment you walk through our doors, you’ll discover what makes the MND experience so incredible. Explore classrooms where students are challenged to think bigger. Learn about our 22 AP courses and 15 College Credit Plus courses that give students access to exceptional college-level opportunities. Meet faculty

Open House: Thursday, November 19 4:00–8:00 p.m. (pre-registration required)

Questions? For more information, contact Seton Director of Institutional Advancement Sarah Cranley Lykins ‘02 513.471.2600 ext. 2422 or lykinss@setoncincinnati.org Visit us online at setoncincinnati.org

3901 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45205 O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 1

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who know their students and encourage them to discover their strengths, pursue their interests, and become an empowered young woman ready to transform the world. But an MND education extends far beyond academics. At Open House, you’ll experience the faith, joy, and sisterhood that have connected generations of MND women for more than 166 years. Discover opportunities in academics, athletics, the arts, leadership, service, Campus Ministry, clubs, and experiences beyond the classroom. Hear from the students who bring MND to life every day and learn what it means to be part of a community where every young woman is encouraged to use her unique gifts to make a difference. Most importantly, come imagine your daughter here. >} i Ì i V w `i Vi Ã i V> LÕ `] the friendships she can form, the opportunities she can pursue, and the person she can become. At MND, she won’t simply prepare for college. She’ll be empowered for what’s next. Come experience Mount Notre Dame at Open House and discover where your daughter can learn, live, lead, serve—and Radiate God’s Goodness. —Elaine Skeldon, Director of Marketing and Communications

Nativity School Pleasant Ridge

Connections to the Global Community can be found at Nativity School through the Exchange Program for students in Grades 5–8. Students represent our school, city, and nation as members of a delegation that travels abroad or share what is best about America by hosting a student from a visiting delegation. The emphasis on geography is one hallmark v Ì i >Ì Û ÌÞ iÝ«iÀ i Vi° / i iÀÌ w cate for International Studies at Nativity School is presented to members of the graduating class who connect to the global community through the academic program, experiences in the arts, and opportunities for service all rooted in the Gospel. —Bob Herring, Alumni & Development

Purcell Marian High School East Walnut Hills We invite you to tour Purcell Marian, the nation’s only Marianist, International Baccalaureate World School. Our rigorous, inquiry-based IB-informed instruction is rooted in the characteristics of Marianist education. We provide meaningful challenge and support for every student,

iiÌ } Ì i Ü iÀi Ì iÞ >Ài] Ì vÕ w our mission of cultivating the best in each v À Ì i Li iw Ì v > ° IB-informed instruction emphasizes inquiry, real-world application, and student ownership of learning. International Baccalaureate provides the framework, while our Marianist identity shapes the culture, priorities, and implementation of the program. Students are asked to grapple with complex problems, consider multiple perspectives, and understand how their choices and actions affect both their local communities and the wider world. Learning becomes less about collecting information and more about making meaning from it. When you step into our historic building, lovingly nicknamed the Castle and located in the heart of East Walnut Hills, you’ll get a glimpse of what makes our school special. You’ll learn how we challenge minds, ignite curiosity, and build V w `i Vi Ì }iÌ iÀ° 9 Õ½ iiÌ ÕÀ dedicated faculty, who, due to our small school size, truly get to know and love all of our students. You’ll see how we invite students to know God, love others, and seek their purpose in life. We can’t wait to welcome you to Purcell Marian! —Stephen Fiorino, Director of Enrollment

OPEN HOUSE Sunday, November 8 1 - 3:30 p.m. Explore our beautiful campus and discover what makes Saint Ursula Academy a leader in girls' Catholic high school education. Scan the QR code to register or visit saintursulaevents.com/open-house/ www.SaintUrsula.org 1339 East McMillan St. Cincinnati, Ohio 45206 8 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

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Saint Ursula Academy East Walnut Hills

At Saint Ursula Academy, we introduce prospective families to a community where every young woman is known, V > i }i`] > ` i V ÕÀ>}i` Ì w ` iÀ voice. Our Open House gives families > w ÀÃÌ > ` >Ì Ü >Ì ÃiÌÃ -1Ƃ >«>ÀÌ\ academic excellence, development of the whole person, experiential learning, authentic sisterhood, and a welcoming environment, all rooted in Catholic values. During Open House, families tour our beautiful campus, which encompasses nearly 10 acres, giving students the feeling of freedom as they switch classes and travel from building to building, just like they will do in college. Current students lead campus tours and share what daily life is really like at SUA, while faculty, coaches, club moderators, and administrators are on hand throughout the event to answer questions about everything from admissions > ` w > V > > ` Ì >Ì iÌ VÃ] w i >ÀÌÃ] and campus ministry. This year, we’re especially excited to highlight our evolving academic schedÕ i] º Ý«iÀ i Vi ÝVi i Vi\ i>À } for the Real World,” which positions our students for the future. This fresh schedule model provides life balance and many innovative opportunities for real handson experiences that will bring learning

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Empowering students to thrive in a diverse world Join us at our Fall Open House Sunday, October 25, 2026 | 2-4 pm We kindly request that all attendees preregister. Please scan the QR code or contact us at 513.771.7462 ext. 1102 or admissions@bethanyschool.org.

555 Albion Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio 45246 www.bethanyschool.org Episcopal-Independent O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 3

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to life, including our unique for-credit minimesters! At the heart of everything, Saint Ursula is a place where girls grow as leaders w i` Ü Ì v> Ì ] Ìi}À ÌÞ] > ` V ÕÀ>}i] ready to make a positive impact in the world. We want every visiting family to leave Open House with a genuine sense v Ì i Ã ÃÌiÀ `] ÃÕ«« ÀÌ] > ` V w`i Vi Ì >Ì `iw i > -1Ƃ i`ÕV>Ì ] > ` a clear picture of how we prepare young women not just for college, but for life.

Seton High School offers a welcoming, v> Ì w i` >Ì Ã« iÀi Ì «À Ã«iVÌ Ûi families when they come to our open house. They’ll learn about our exceptional academic offerings and how their daughter will grow StrongHER at Seton by interacting with students, faculty, staff, coaches, and club leaders. Families will hear presentations about our academic pathways, which include 19 AP courses and 91 dual college credits offered through the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, and Mount

St. Joseph University. They’ll also learn how Seton is leading the way in girls’ athletics with the opening of the new Gould Family Seton Sports Complex, the only all-girls sports complex in the tri-state region. The complex not only provides a home for Seton Athletics, but it also provides learning opportunities, a broadcast journalism studio and health and wellness opportunities for the entire Seton Community. At Seton, It’s Time For The Girls! —Kathy Allen Ciarla, President of Seton

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—Hannah Carver, VP of Communications

Seton High School Price Hill

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The Seven Hills School Madisonville

The Seven Hills School offers a variety of admissions events and invites prospective families to choose how they wish to learn about our school. These events showcase our teachers, students, and administrators to give prospective parents an opportunity to explore all aspects of The Seven Hills School experience. Walk & Talk small group tours are designed for parents who wish to see our campus and glimpse our students and teachers in an hour-long format on a weekday morning. Our Questions & Conversations virtual series affords families access to our teachers and administrators in an evening v À >Ì] Ã Ì >Ì Ì iÞ >Þ i>À wÀÃÌ > ` about our educational philosophies and academic programs. Prospective students entering grades 6 through 12 may schedule a Student Visit Day to interact with students and teachers along with a student host. Every prospective student is unique! Our admission directors are standing by to address all speV wV µÕiÃÌ Ã Ì >Ì «>Ài ÌÃ >Ûi Ài}>À` } their student and the educational goals they have for them. Our priority admission deadlines for pre-kindergarten through wvÌ }À>`i Ã Û° £x] ÓäÓÈ] > ` v À Ã ÝÌ Ì À Õ} £ÓÌ }À>`i Ã iV° £] ÓäÓÈ° —Janet Hill, Director of Enrollment

Springer School and Center Hyde Park

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Lower School and Middle School Open Houses are held during school hours to help parents experience the impactful small-group, multisensory instruction taking place in classrooms for grades 1–8. The morning begins with an informational presentation and ends with a tour to see faculty and students in our specialized environment where they thrive. Families can ask questions of the admissions director and staff members who lead small-group campus tours. See why success starts here! High School Open Houses are held in the evenings and on weekends so that teens can attend with their parents. A short presentation and interactive showcase introduce families to the curriculum and student life before beginning classroom tours with knowledgeable staff and student guides. Families can have their questions answered by administrators, faculty, and students, and begin to experience the warm, welcoming community at Springer High School. Plus, see what’s next for Springer High School and view renderings of our future high school campus! Join us and learn how your student can truly Be Seen at Springer High School. —Sara McDulin, Communications Director

The Summit Country Day School Hyde Park

The Summit Country Day School is a place where students are known, challenged, and prepared to lead. In an era when families have more educational choices than ever, we believe education should do more than prepare students for college. It should develop the characÌiÀ] V w`i Vi] > ` «ÕÀ« Ãi ii`i` Ì thrive in life. Our open house is designed to help v> iÃ iÝ«iÀ i Vi / i -Õ Ì wÀÃÌhand. Prospective families meet stu-

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OPEN HOUSE October 18, 2026 1:00PM - 4:00PM

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al-world opportunities. More than anything, we want families to understand that The Summit combines academic excellence, personal attention, and character formation in a way that is uniquely Summit. Our students graduate with outstanding outcomes, but our greatest measure of success is who they become: young men and women of faith, intellect, and integrity who are prepared to make a meaningful impact in the world. —Tina Tedesco, Director of Communications and Marketing

The right high school doesn’t just prepare a young woman for college. It helps her discover who she is and who she’s meant to become. At Ursuline Academy, we learn for life. Rooted in the Catholic faith and inspired by St. Angela Merici, we recognize and celebrate the unique gifts of every young woman, nurturing her soul, intellect, heart, and imagination. Each student’s journey is shaped by academic excellence, our supportive sisterhood, and our £Îä Þi>À ÌÀ>` Ì v i`ÕV>Ì } V w dent, compassionate leaders. Join us for Open House and experience what makes Ursuline so distinctive. Student-led tours will take you inside classrooms, gathering spaces, and the places where friendships are formed, talents are discovered, and futures begin to take shape. You’ll also explore our iÜ > iÀÃ«>VipÌ i w ÀÃÌ `i` V>Ìi` makerspace at an all-girls high school in Cincinnati—where students bring ideas to life through creativity, innovation, and hands-on learning. Along the way, you’ll meet faculty, coaches, counselors, and school leaders who are committed to helping young women think boldly, lead purposefully, and grow in faith. Explore our challenging academic programs, vibrant student life, person-

Your child deserves to reach their full potential.

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Ursuline Academy Blue Ash

513.770.6776

Springer can help. Toddler Program • Art Enrichment • Summer Camp

www.CreativeTotsMason.com

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Experts in dyslexia, ADHD, and executive function for more than 50 years. SPRINGER-LD.ORG/success

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dents, parents, faculty, coaches, and administrators; tour classrooms and maker spaces; and learn how our Catholic and Independent school community supports the growth of the whole child through spiritual, academic, physical, social, and artistic development. Through our Institute for Leadership and Character, leadership is not reserved for a select few; it is intentionally developed in every student. During open house, families will learn about high-impact learning experiences such as the Schiff Family Science Research Institute, the Homan Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, aviation, engineering, global travel, service-learning, 24 AP course offerings, and other signature programs that connect classroom learning to re-

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alized counseling resources, and unique college-like modular schedule, and learn how Ursuline empowers each student to create a path that is uniquely her own. Most families spend about an hour on campus exploring, meeting teachers, and getting a feel for daily life at Ursuline. Spanish-language tours will be available. Come see how Ursuline can help your `>Õ} ÌiÀ w ` iÀ Û Vi] ` ÃV ÛiÀ iÀ purpose, and become the leader she’s meant to be. —Laura Kammerer, Director of Communications

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A place to discover who she’s meant to be. Explore what’s possible at Ursuline Academy. OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, Oct. 25

1-4 p.m.

Learn more and register today.

CHOICE-DRIVEN LEARNING | COLLEGE-LIKE MODULAR SCHEDULE | 300+ OPPORTUNITIES TO LEAD O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 8 7

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00&B B2SHQ +RXVH B3'B ¯ [ ¯ SGI Л$0

OPEN HOUSE

OCTOBER 25 | 1-3:30 p.m. Located in College Hill! 6000 Oakwood Avenue | Cincinnati, OH 45224

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OPEN HOUSE GUIDE

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2026-2027

Archdiocese of Cincinnati Catholic Schools

Dates and times for high school open houses can be found at www.CatholicBestChoice.org

Badin High School

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026, 1–4:30 P.M.

RSVP for a tour time for your family.

Ramformation Nights THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2026; WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2026 (LATINO NIGHT, INTERPRETERS AVAILABLE); TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2026; AND MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2026; 7 P.M. AT BADIN HIGH SCHOOL.

RSVP online: BadinHS.org

Virtual Scholar Leader Academy Info Night MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2026, 7 P.M.

Learn more about Badin’s Scholar Leader Academy for top performing students. RSVP online and a link will be sent to you. 571 Hamilton New London Rd. Hamilton, OH 45013 (513) 863-3993 | www.badinhs.org

Bethany School

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026, 2–4 P.M. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2027, 2–4 P.M.

Tours are offered Monday through Friday and can be scheduled for individual families. Visit bethanyschool.org/apply to learn more about all of our opportunities for a campus visit. Questions? Contact Dallas Stokes, Director of Enrollment Management at (513) 771-7462 ext. 1102 or admissions@ bethanyschool.org. 555 Albion Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45246 (513) 771-7462 | www.bethanyschool.org

Bishop Fenwick High School

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2026, 1–4 P.M. Shadow Day for Eighth Graders SEPTEMBER 15, 16, 22, 25, 29, AND 30; OCTOBER 2, 6, 9, 13, 15, 20, 23, AND 30; NOVEMBER 3, 6, 10, 12, AND 13; AND DECEMBER 1, 2026

Experience classes, meet faculty and staff, and learn why students love being Falcons! Information Nights WEDNESDAYS, SEPTEMBER 23, OCTOBER 7 AND 21, 2026, 6:30 P.M.–8 P.M.

Eighth grader families are invited to learn more about the Fenwick experience. 4855 State Route 122 Franklin, OH 45005 (513) 428-0525 | www.bishopfenwick.org

Children’s Meeting House Montessori School

Cincinnati Waldorf School

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026, 10 A.M.–1 P.M. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2027, 10 A.M.–1 P.M.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2026 10 A.M.–12 P.M.

RSVP to kkelley@cinciwaldorf.org

Questions? Reach out to our Director of Admissions and Advancement, Jessica Anderson, anderson@cmhschool.com

Seasonal Craft and Preschool Information Evening TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2026 6:30–8 P.M.

RSVP to kkelley@cinciwaldorf.org

927 O’Bannonville Rd. Loveland, OH 45040 (513) 683-4757 | www.cmhschool.com

Cincinnati Country Day School

Prospective students and families are provided with an individualized and perÃ > âi` Ì ÕÀ Ì> Ài` Ì Ì i À Ã«iV wV needs and questions. Appointments are made Monday through Friday beginning at 9 a.m. Student class visitation days are also scheduled so that students can experience an academic and co-curricular day of a Country Day student. Contact us at (513) 979-0220 or admission@countryday.net to schedule a meeting and tour. 6905 Given Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45243 (513) 979-0220 | www.countryday.net

Founders’ Campus (Upper School Grades 7–8 & Upper Elementary Grades 4–6) 11300 Snider Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 247-0900 | www.chca-oh.org Edyth B. Lindner Elementary School (Lower Elementary Grades K–3)/Blake Lindner Thompson Early Learning Center (Preschool 2–4 Years) 11312 Snider Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 247-0900 | www.chca-oh.org Otto Armleder Memorial Education Campus (Preschool 3–4 Years–Grade 6) 140 W. Ninth St. Cincinnati, OH 45202 (513) 247-0900 | www.chca-oh.org

Creative Tots – Mason

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026, 5–6:30 P.M.

This is a family Halloween Open House for current students and perspective students. * i>Ãi V Ì>VÌ Ì i vwVi v À Ì V iÌÃ Ì Ì i Open House.

Great Oaks Career Campuses

In-person tours and shadow visits are also available. Learn more at chca-oh.org/ admissions/visit-chca. CHCA Campus Locations: Martha S. Lindner Campus (Upper School Grades 9–12) 11525 Snider Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45249 (513) 247-0900 | www.chca-oh.org

6743 Chestnut St. Cincinnati, OH 45227 (513) 541-0220 | www.cincinnatiwaldorfschool.org

6408 Thornberry Ct., Suite 110 Mason, OH 45040 (513) 770-6776 | https://CreativeTotsMason.com

Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2026, 10 A.M.–1 P.M.

Schedule a High School, Grade School, or Early Childhood Observational Tour: e-mail kkelley@cinciwaldorf.org Learn more about our High School https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=p7SRZo9MaV4

Great Oaks will be hosting four open houses in January 2027. Visit www.greatoaks.com for more information Diamond Oaks Career Campus 6375 Harrison Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45247 (513) 574-1300 I www.greatoaks.com Laurel Oaks Career Campus 300 Oak Dr. Wilmington, OH 45177 (800) 752-5480 | www.greatoaks.com Live Oaks Career Campus 5956 Buckwheat Rd. Milford, OH 45150 (513) 575-1900 | www.greatoaks.com Scarlet Oaks Career Campus 300 Scarlet Oaks Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45241 (513) 612-3609 | www.greatoaks.com

Mercy McAuley High School

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026, 1–3:30 PM

Register for Open House at www.mercymcauley.org/OpenHouse 6000 Oakwood Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45224 (513) 681-1800 | www.mercymcauley.org

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OPEN HOUSE GUIDE

2026-2027

Miami Valley Christian Academy Fall Open House SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2026 9 A.M.–NOON

Every Wednesday and Thursday we host family tours and shadow days by appointment. Private tours are also set up by appointment. Visit our website and socials to see why you want your student to be here: https://mvca-oh.com 6830 School St. Cincinnati, OH 45244 (513) 272-6822 | https://mvca-oh.com

Saint Ursula Academy

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2026, 1–3:30 P.M.

Admissions Contact: Michelle Dellecave, Senior Director of Admissions, (513) 9613410, mdellecave@saintursula.org 1339 E. McMillan St. Cincinnati, OH 45206 (513) 961-3410 | www.saintursula.org

Seton High School

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2026, 4–8 P.M.

Pre-registration is required. Contact Sarah Cranley Lykins for information: LykinsS@setoncincinnati.org or (513) 471-2600 ext. 2422 Link to open house events page: https://setoncincinnati.org/event/openhouse-2026/

Archbishop Moeller High School SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2026, 1–4 P.M.

Shadow Days: Dates available October through December 4 Parent Tours: Available on shadow days High School Placement Test: Saturday, November 21, 2026, 8:30 a.m. 9001 Montgomery Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45242 (513) 791-1680 | www.moeller.org

3901 Glenway Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45205 (513) 471-2600 | www.setoncincinnati.org

The Seven Hills School Walk & Talk Group Tours Pre-k through Kindergarten: NOW THROUGH NOVEMBER 5 ON MOST TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYS, AND THURSDAYS

Mount Notre Dame

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2026, 4–7 P.M.

Reservations required: www.mndhs.org 711 E. Columbia Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45215 (513) 821-3044 ext. 164 | www.mndhs.org

Grades 1–5: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6, AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2026, 9–10 A.M.

Nativity School

Grades 6–8: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026, 9–10 A.M.

Prospective Parent Information Night TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 6 P.M. New Student Applications Open October 1, 2026

Grades 9–12: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6; THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15; THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22; TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3; AND TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2026, 9–10 A.M.

Open House SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026, 12–2 P.M. School Tours FRIDAYS, 9 A.M., SEPTEMBER 18, OCTOBER 23, NOVEMBER 20, AND DECEMBER 4, 2026; JANUARY 8, 2027. FRIDAYS, 1:30 P.M., OCTOBER 9, NOVEMBER 6, AND DECEMBER 18, 2026.

Questions & Conversation Virtual Admission Events Pre-k through Grade 5: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2026, 9–10 A.M. Grades 6–12: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026, AND THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2027, 7–7:45 P.M.

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5936 Ridge Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45213 (513) 458-6767 | https://nativity-cincinnati.org/ welcome

Purcell Marian High School WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2026 4:30–6:30 P.M.

5400 Red Bank Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45227 (513) 728-2400 | www.7hills.org

Springer School and Center

Let us know you’re coming at www.purcellmarian.org/openhouse Visit www.purcellmarian.org/admissions for a complete list of admission events Schedule a shadow visit at www.purcellmarian.org/shadow 2935 Hackberry St. Cincinnati, OH 45206 (513) 751-1230 | www.purcellmarian.org

9 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

Open Houses for Springer Lower School & Middle School WEDNESDAYS, SEPTEMBER 16 AND OCTOBER 21 AND TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2026; WEDNESDAYS JANUARY 20, FEBRUARY 17, MARCH 17, APRIL 14, AND MAY 5, 2027, 9:30 A.M. High School Open Houses SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2026, 1 P.M.; THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2027, 6:30 P.M.;

AND TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 2027, 6:30 P.M.

Register for all Open Houses online at Springer-LD.org/visit. 2121 Madison Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45208 (513) 871-6080 | www.Springer-LD.org

The Summit Country Day School Upper School (Grades 9–12) Open House: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2026, 6:30–9 P.M.

www.summitcds.org/admission/open-house Student Shadowing Begins: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 Parent Preview Days, 8:30–10:30 a.m.: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2026 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2026 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2026

Contact Brandon Lorentz, lorentz_b@ summitcds.org, Assistant Director of Upper School Admission, for more information. Lower School (Grades 1–4) and Middle School (Grades 5–8) Grades 1–8 Parent Preview Days 8:30–10:30 a.m.: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2026 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2026 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2027

Please reach out to Meghan Byrne, byrne_m@summitcds.org, Admission Counselor for the Lower and Middle Schools, directly to inquire about potential space availability. Montessori (18 months–age 6) Parent Preview Days, 8:30–10:30 a.m.: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2026 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2026 Parent Information Sessions, 8:30–10:15 a.m.: THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2026 THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2027 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2027 THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2027 THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2027

Please reach out to Elaine Pearl, pearl_e@ summitcds.org, Associate Director of Admission for Montessori, directly to inquire about potential space availability. 2161 Grandin Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45208 (513) 871-4700 | www.summitcds.org

Ursuline Academy

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2026, 1–4 P.M. 5535 Pfeiffer Rd. Blue Ash, OH 45242 (513) 791-5791

Bring Movement and Motivation with the Flying Pig Youth Program Designed to foster achievement, belonging, confidence, & healthy habits for kids ages 3-12, this flexible program is open to the following groups: • Classrooms and PE programs • Youth run clubs, track, and cross country teams • Youth clubs like scouts, sports teams, or other youth groups Our Youth Program staff will work with you to implement the program in a way that best serves your group and community, providing resources and guidance as you work with your students on their incremental marathon, 5K, or PigAbilities training plan. Training Starts Fall 2026 School administrators, teachers, and parents interested in participating can email kids@flyingpigmarathon.com or scan the QR code to learn more and sign up.

2026

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CINCINNATI

FIVE STAR AWARD WINNERS

These days, it takes a village to manage your financial world. In fact, many consumers have a hard time figuring out where to even begin. Sometimes, a few simple questions can put you off on the right path. Asking a professional what makes working with them a unique experience can help you understand how they work and if their style meshes with your own. This is a great place to start! Five Star Professional uses its own proprietary research methodology to name outstanding professionals, then works with publications such as Cincinnati Magazine to spread the word about award winners. Each award candidate undergoes a thorough research process (detailed here) before being considered for the final list of award winners. For the complete list of winners, go to www.fivestarprofessional.com.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER

DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA Award candidates who satisfied 10 objective eligibility and evaluation criteria were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. Eligibility Criteria – Required: 1. Credentialed as a registered investment adviser or a registered investment adviser representative. 2. Actively employed as a credentialed professional in the financial services industry for a minimum of five years. 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review. 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal firm standards. 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation Criteria – Considered: 6. One-year client retention rate. 7. Five-year client retention rate. 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered. 9. Number of client households served. 10. Education and professional designations. 1,926 award candidates in the Cincinnati area were considered for the Five Star Wealth Manager award. 177 (approximately 9% of the award candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers.

FIVE STAR INVESTMENT PROFESSIONAL DETERMINATION OF AWARD WINNERS CRITERIA

All award winners are listed in this publication. Wealth Managers

Ben Feldmeyer ∙ Feldmeyer Financial Group

Nathan M. Kosman ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group

Financial Planning

Chuck Futel ∙ Primerica Advisors

Mark C. Lindloff ∙ Osaic FS

Bradley Philip Shelley ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC/B. P. Shelley & Associates

Ryan P. Grote ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group

Brian T. Parker ∙ Hyde Park Wealth Advisors

Brad Soper ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Thom Guidi ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Joe Patterson ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Henry H. Hampton ∙ Thrivent Investment Management

Tyrone Phillippi ∙ McKinley Carter Wealth Services

Greg W. Hang ∙ Shared Vision Advisors

Jamie M. Powell ∙ Capital Advisory Services, LLC

Luke Hail ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Nick Roth ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Marc Henn ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Sonya Saskin ∙ TouchPoint® Wealth Partners Page 4

Randy E. Hein ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group

Ryan F. Antepenko ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Matthew C. Bayer ∙ The Bayer Financial Group, LLC Page 5 Zach Binzer ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 Josè L. Chavez ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Cory M. Cochran ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Chris Collier ∙ WestPoint Financial Group Emily Diaz ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 S. David Dinn ∙ Brecek & Young Financial Services Monica Dwyer ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Zach Horn ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3 Thomas P. Keller ∙ Kehoe Financial Advisors Page 5

Ronald Bates ∙ 1919 Investment Counsel Paul Burgdorf ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Rachel Rasmussen ∙ Foster & Motley Wealth Management Page 3

Mitch Edwards ∙ Morgan Stanley

Alan Runkel ∙ Independent Financial Resources, LLC

Mark B. Sutton ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC Page 6

John Gould ∙ Morgan Stanley Page 2

Chris Saul ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Kimberly A. Thompson ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Joel N. Handorf ∙ Morgan Stanley Aubrey Herman ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Molly Snider ∙ Lifetime Financial Growth, LLC Page 6

Chris R. Ward ∙ EntryPoint Wealth Management

Robert Huesman ∙ 1919 Investment Counsel

Bill Wilkins ∙ Wilkins Wealth Management Group, LLC

Mark Josaitis ∙ Barnwood Capital Management, LLC

Andy D. Sathe ∙ MCF

Mark N. Wilkins ∙ Thrivent Investment Management

Karen F. Levy ∙ Wells Fargo Advisors

Adrian Schau ∙ 1919 Investment Counsel

Christopher Wysong ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Derek Miller ∙ Feldmeyer Financial Group

Joy Schlie ∙ Harvest Financial Advisors Page 4

Investments

Jonathan Peirson ∙ Peirson Financial Services, LLC Page 6

Casey Armstrong ∙ Morgan Stanley

Jeffrey David Stanley ∙ Morgan Stanley James O. Stewart ∙ The Rosselot Financial Group Jonathan Daniel Weber ∙ Wells Fargo Advisors

Investment Professionals Certified Public Accountant Katerina Maney ∙ KCM & Associates CPA’s, Inc. Continued on FS-7

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WEALTH MANAGERS

John Gould CFP®, CEPA®, CPM®, CPWA®, Senior Vice President, Financial Advisor, Senior Portfolio Manager

Your Wealth Is Multidimensional. So Is Our Approach. • Professional portfolio management • Business succession and exit strategies • Alternative investments • Stock option strategies and executive compensation • Tax management strategies

The more money you earn, the more complicated your financial life can become. Executives face corporate equity decisions. Business owners need exit strategies. Many families require complex estate plans. As a Cincinnati-based team with 60-plus years of combined experience, we help design your financial future so that no challenge — complex or mundane — stands between you and your vision of success. I have been named a 2019 – 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager. Get a fresh perspective on your financial future. Call us at 513-562-8313, or email Janie.Shaffer@morganstanley.com.

YEAR WINNER

Left to right: Back row: Brooke Faxon, Client Relationship Analyst; Kim Peck, Wealth Management Associate; 2019 – 2026 winner John Gould, CFP®, CPWA®, CPM®, CEPA® Senior Vice President; Janie Shaffer, Business Development Director; Front row/seated: Matt Harris, First Vice President, Financial Advisor; Anna Kohlem, Assistant Vice President, Wealth Management Associate

The Celestial Group at Morgan Stanley 7755 Montgomery Road, 2nd Floor • Cincinnati, OH 45236 Direct: 513-562-8309 • Cell: 513-815-3263 Fax: 513-322-4574 • Toll-Free: 800-659-6599 john.gould@morganstanley.com advisor.morganstanley.com/john.gould

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. John Gould has 28-plus years of industry experience. Janie Shaffer has 7-plus years of industry experience. Anna Kohlem has 25-plus years of industry experience. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters. The investments listed may not be appropriate for all investors. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a financial advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment will depend upon an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. ©2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 5742222 07/26.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

This award was issued on 09/01/2026 by Five Star Professional (FSP) for the time period 11/27/2025 through 06/03/2026. Fee paid for use of marketing materials. Self-completed were considered for the award; 177 (9% of candidates) were named 2026 Five Star Wealth Managers. The following prior year statistics use this format: YEAR: # Considered, # 15%, 9/1/23, 12/12/22 - 6/30/23; 2022: 1,585, 230, 15%, 9/1/22, 1/3/22 - 7/1/22; 2021: 1,357, 216, 16%, 9/1/21, 12/14/20 - 7/9/21; 2020: 1,406, 216, 15%, 9/1/20, 2016: 918, 368, 40%, 8/1/16, 2/10/16 - 7/25/16; 2015: 1,667, 427, 26%, 9/1/15, 2/10/15 - 7/25/15; 2014: 2,082, 483, 23%, 9/1/14, 2/10/14 - 7/25/14; 2013: 1,367, 509, Investment Professional award. The award is based on 10 objective criteria. Eligibility Criteria – Required 1. Meets requirements to be an investment adviser representative (IAR) or a principal of a registered investment adviser (RIA). 2. Actively practicing as an IAR or principal of an RIA more than a total of three settled or pending complaints filed against them and/or a total of five settled, pending, dismissed or denied complaints with any regulatory authority or FSP’s consumer complaint process. Unfavorable feedback may have been financial settlement of a customer complaint; D. Filed for personal bankruptcy within the past 11 years; E. Been terminated from a financial services firm within the past 11 years; F. Been convicted of a felony); 4. Fulfilled their firm review based on internal served; 10. Education and professional designations. FSP does not evaluate quality of services provided to clients. The award is not indicative of the wealth manager’s future performance. Wealth managers may or may not use discretion in their practice Manager or any wealth manager is no guarantee as to future investment success, nor is there any guarantee that the selected wealth managers will be awarded this accomplishment by FSP in the future. Visit www.fivestarprofessional.com. F S - 2 — LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WEALTH MANAGERS

Foster & Motley Wealth Management

YEAR WINNER

Left to right: Eight-year winner Rachel Rasmussen, MBA, CFA, CDFA®; Six-year winner Zach Binzer, CFP®; Eight-year winner Joe Patterson, CFP®; Three-year winner Nick Roth, CFP®; Eight-year winner Brad Soper, MBA, CFA, CPA; Four-year winner Emily Diaz, MAcc, CPA, CFP®; Nine-year winner Thom Guidi, CFA; Fourteen-year winner Luke Hail, MBA, CFP®; Thirteen-year winner Zach Horn, MBA, CFP®, CMFC®

The Power of & At Foster & Motley, planning and investing aren’t separate services; they’re one conversation. Your portfolio should reflect your plan, and your plan should be grounded in real, disciplined investing. That’s the power of &.

• Wealth & life

It’s also how we treat you. We bring the analytical rigor you expect from a fee-only fiduciary and the genuine care of people who remember your kids’ names, ask about your parents and treat your goals like our own.

• Numbers & relationships

Our team of more than 50 employees is here to support you as you live your most meaningful life.

• Heart & mind • Discipline & flexibility • Planning & investments

7755 Montgomery Road, Suite 100 • Cincinnati, OH 45236 Phone: 513-561-6640 www.fosterandmotley.com

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Foster & Motley is a Registered Investment Advisor and, as such, is held to a fiduciary standard. As fiduciaries, we are required to act solely in the best interests of a client and to fully disclose any conflict or potential conflict to the client prior to and throughout a business engagement. Our advice is free from the conflict of interest inherent when recommendations are made on products that the advisor is being paid to sell. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Foster & Motley paid no fees to be included in the Five Star Wealth Managers list. FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

questionnaire was used for rating. This rating is not related to the quality of the investment advice and based solely on the disclosed criteria. 1,926 Cincinnati-area wealth managers Winners, % of candidates, Issued Date, Research Period. 2025: 1,789, 191, 11%, 9/1/25, 1/1/25 - 6/2/25; 2024: 1,596, 200, 13%, 9/1/24, 12/12/23 - 7/9/24; 2023: 1,649, 240, 12/2/19 - 6/12/20; 2019: 1,371, 238, 17%, 9/1/19, 11/19/18 - 6/28/19; 2018: 1,413, 239, 17%, 9/1/18, 12/20/17 - 7/19/18; 2017: 985, 288, 29%, 9/1/17, 12/21/16 - 6/29/17; 37%, 9/1/13, 2/10/13 - 7/25/13; 2012: 1,265, 477, 38%, 9/1/12, 2/10/12 - 7/25/12. This year, we honored 3 Cincinnati-area investment professionals with the Five Star for a minimum of five years; 3. Favorable regulatory and complaint history review (As defined by FSP, the wealth manager has not; A. Been subject to a regulatory action that resulted in a license being suspended or revoked, or payment of a fine; B. Had discovered through a check of complaints registered with a regulatory authority or complaints registered through FSP’s consumer complaint process; feedback may not be representative of any one client’s experience; C. Individually contributed to a standards; 5. Accepting new clients. Evaluation criteria - considered: 6. One-year client retention rate; 7. Five-year client retention rate; 8. Non-institutional discretionary and/or non-discretionary client assets administered; 9. Number of client households and therefore may not manage their clients’ assets. The inclusion of a wealth manager on the Five Star Wealth Manager list should not be construed as an endorsement of the wealth manager by FSP or this publication. Working with a Five Star Wealth LEARN MORE AT FIVESTARPROFESSIONAL.COM — F S -3

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WEALTH MANAGERS

TouchPoint® Wealth Partners Do More. Live More. Worry Less. At TouchPoint® Wealth Partners, we believe financial planning is about far more than numbers. We take a holistic approach that helps you make confident decisions and build a life aligned with what matters most. We help you simplify complex financial decisions, address the financial concerns that keep you up at night, develop strategies that help you achieve your goals, and create a coordinated plan that provides lasting confidence and peace of mind.

11 YEAR

WINNER

Left to right: Two-year winner Paige Kock, CFP®, Financial Advisor; Eleven-year winner Sonya Saskin; CFP®, CFS®, AAMS®, CRPC®, President, Private Wealth Advisor; Mitch West, CFP®, APMA®, Financial Advisor; Dawn Russell, Office Manager

4605 E Galbraith Road, Suite 200 Cincinnati, OH 45236 Phone: 513-898-9100 info@touchpointwealthpartners.com www.touchpointwealthpartners.com

Our planning extends beyond investments and finances to support the many decisions that shape your life. While the numbers help inform the strategy, every recommendation is tailored to your unique goals, values and circumstances. Our team is committed to serving the whole person, providing personalized guidance so you can focus on doing more, living more and worrying less. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Advisory Services offered through Valmark Advisers, Inc. an SEC Registered Investment Advisor Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA, SIPC. 130 Springside Drive, Suite 300 Akron, Ohio 44333-2431, 1-800-765-5201. TouchPoint® Wealth Partners is a separate entity from Valmark Securities, Inc. and Valmark Advisers, Inc.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Harvest Financial Advisors

Grow, Protect and Enjoy Your Wealth

15 YEAR

WINNER

Left to right: Fifteen-year winner Marc Henn, Chief Executive Officer, Founder; Four-year winner Monica Dwyer, Senior Vice President; 2026 winner Joy Schlie, Vice President; Six-year winner Paul Burgdorf, Chief Operating Officer

8840 Cincinnati-Dayton Road West Chester, OH 45069 Phone: 513-779-3030 Harvestadvisors.com

Harvest was built on a different belief: Wealth advice should be transparent, personal and aligned with your best interests. That is why they operate as an independent fiduciary firm and serve families in more than 30 states, with thoughtful planning and disciplined investment management. In addition to wealth management, Harvest offers personalized solutions to confidently navigate complex life and business transitions such as retirement planning, corporate strategies, multifamily office solutions, divorce and business exit planning.

Harvest Financial Advisors, LLC is an SEC Registered Investment Advisor located in West Chester, Ohio. Harvest Financial Advisors, LLC may only transact business in those states or countries in which it is registered, or qualifies for an exemption or exclusion from registration requirements. For non-clients of the firm, Harvest Financial Advisors, LLC’s website is limited to the dissemination of general information pertaining to its investment advisory services.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WEALTH MANAGERS

Matthew C. Bayer President

Portfolios With Purpose Matt Bayer is celebrating over 31 years of providing independent financial advice. As an independent advisor, he can truly work in his clients’ best interests without external pressures. Matt is a SmartVestor Pro. He has the heart of a teacher, not the attitude of a salesman. Matt has positioned The Bayer Financial Group, LLC to work within fiduciary and suitability standards. Through a combination of fee-based and commission-based investment strategies, Matt has created the opportunity to not only keep client costs low, but guard against deep market swings and preserve assets for generations to come. Please visit the BFG website for a complete description of the planning process and to schedule some time to chat with Matt.

1948 E Whipp Road, Suite D • Kettering, OH 45440 Phone: 937-432-6585 bfg@bayerfinancialgroup.com www.bayerfinancialgroup.com

YEAR WINNER

2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018 – 2026 winner Matthew C. Bayer, President

Securities and Advisory Services offered through Harbour Investments, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Thomas P. Keller CFP®, CLU®, Partner

Your Wealth. Your Future. A Clearer Direction. • Retirement and income planning • Investment and wealth strategies • Tax-aware financial planning • Estate and legacy planning

YEAR WINNER

Left to right: Erin Savage-Weaver, CFP®; Kevin M. Webb, CFP®; Ten-year winner Thomas P. Keller, CFP®, CLU®, Partner

125 Boggs Lane • Cincinnati, OH 45246 Office: 513-481-8555 • Cell: 513-205-1802 tkeller@kehoe-financial.com www.kehoe-financial.com

Your financial life is about more than investments. It’s about knowing where you stand, understanding your options and having a plan for where you want to go. At Kehoe Financial Advisors, we take time to listen, educate you on the choices in front of you and help guide the decisions that shape your future. From retirement and investments to taxes and legacy planning, we help bring the pieces of your financial life together. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Securities offered through Kestra Investment Services, LLC (Kestra IS), member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Kestra Advisory Services, LLC (Kestra AS), an affiliate of Kestra IS. Kehoe Financial Advisors is not affiliated with Kestra IS or Kestra AS.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WEALTH MANAGERS

Jonathan Peirson CFP®, President, CEO

2018 – 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager • Wealth management • Financial planning • Wealth protection

We work with select families and businesses across the country to oversee and coordinate their financial affairs, thus providing the confidence to pursue their goals. We do this by thoroughly assessing a client’s financial state of affairs and determining how we can best assist them.

9 YEAR

WINNER

Nine-year winner Jonathan Peirson

7450 Whispering Way • Cincinnati, OH 45241 Office: 513-202-6228 jonathan.peirson@lpl.com www.peirsonfinancialservices.com

CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S. Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial, a Registered Investment Advisor. Member FINRA/SIPC. The LPL Financial Registered Representatives associated with this site may only discuss and/or transact securities business with residents of the following states: CA, CO, NC, SC, GA, FL, IN, KY, NH, and OH. This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the state(s) of CA, CO, NC, SC, GA, FL, IN, KY, NH and OH. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific states referenced.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

Mark B. Sutton

Molly Snider

Private Wealth Advisor, CFP®

Financial Advisor

8549 Montgomery Road, Suite 200 Cincinnnati, OH 45236 Phone: 513-907-6974 molly_snider@lifetimefinancialgrowth.com www.lifetimefinancialgrowth.com

225 Pictoria Drive, Suite 180 Cincinnati, OH 45246 Phone: 513-346-1771 mark.b.sutton@ampf.com

YEAR WINNER

Advice Worth Talking About

Time is truly a priceless commodity. You shouldn’t spend your precious moments worrying about your finances. Instead, you should be focused on doing the things you love. With our unique discovery process, no detail is too small. We seek to understand the financial and emotional drivers of your life. With that as our foundation, we develop deeply personalized life strategies for you to solve financial dilemmas and reduce financial uncertainty. Let us help you reclaim your time. Mark is a 2012 – 2018 and 2022 – 2026 Five Star Wealth Manager. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER®, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the U.S.

YEAR WINNER

For 25 years at Lifetime Financial Growth, LLC, Molly has helped individuals and families in the greater Cincinnati area protect, grow and distribute their wealth for retirement, education and estate planning. Molly prides herself on educating her clients and their children about investments, insurance, benefits, budgeting and financial security with longevity and legacy in mind. Molly’s team is located in the Kenwood and downtown areas. Molly enjoys the outdoors, volunteering and raising her three children. She lives in Glendale with her husband, Ethan, her daughters, Clara and Emma, and her dog, Sugar.

Not FDIC or NCUA Insured No Financial Institution Guarantee May Lose Value Investment advisory products and services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Securities offered by Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC. Member FINRA and SIPC.

Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). OSJ: 419 Plum Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202 / (513) 579-1114. Securities products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. Financial Representative of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America® (Guardian), New York, NY. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Lifetime Financial Growth, LLC (LFG) is not an affiliate or subsidiary of PAS or Guardian. LFG is not a registered investment advisor. 9064247.1 Exp 08/28.

FIVE STAR WEALTH MANAGER AWARD WINNER

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WEALTH MANAGERS — INVESTMENT PROFESSIONALS Continued from FS-1

All award winners are listed in this publication.

Wealth Managers

Judd Matthew Eberhart ∙ Creative Planning

Ryan Scott Krift ∙ Morgan Stanley

Matthew Ronald Smith ∙ Morgan Stanley

Dwayne E. Adams ∙ Adams Wealth Management Group

James Robert Eck ∙ Wells Fargo Advisors/Eck, Getter & Greenwell Wealth Management

Matthew J. Larmann ∙ Larmann Financial Corp.

Nathan Edward Sorum ∙ Sorum Financial Services, LLC

Brian Keith Albach ∙ Morgan Stanley

Jim Randall Eutsler ∙ HCM Wealth Advisors

Daniel Joseph Altenau ∙ Altenau Financial Services

Jay Alan Finke ∙ Clarity Wealth Management

Greg Neal Altenau ∙ Hornor Townsend & Kent

Christopher Michael Flores ∙ Three Corners Capital

Edward L. Apfel ∙ Morgan Stanley

Joshua Garland ∙ Shepherd Wealth Management

Francisco Javier Armada ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Jahn Dorab Gazder ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Stephen M. Ashworth ∙ Morgan Stanley

Michael Anthony George ∙ Tri-State Financial Group

Lewis Andrew Assaley ∙ Morgan Stanley

Lisa Gerardi ∙ Gerardi Wealth Management

Adam Paul Atkinson ∙ Morgan Stanley

Christopher Joseph Green ∙ Morgan Stanley

Lauren A. Beckert ∙ Merrill Lynch

Bryan Nicholas Grisak ∙ Wealth Enhancement Group

Richard Howard Beckert ∙ Merrill Lynch Casey Michael Boland ∙ HCM Wealth Advisors

Robert John Grossheim ∙ Family Wealth Advisory Group, LLC

Gregory M. Bonner ∙ Merrill Lynch

Kevin Gerald Hagerty ∙ Rosselot Financial Group

Peter Robert Bouley ∙ Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

Sandra Faith Hall ∙ Faith Financial Advisors, Inc.

Ted Michael Lucien ∙ Morgan Stanley Tony Robert Luckhardt ∙ Foster & Motley Steven Dale Lutz ∙ Morgan Stanley Richard Edward Martin ∙ Osaic Wealth, Inc Paul David McCauley ∙ Morgan Stanley Michael J. Messmer ∙ Messmer Capital Michelle Ann Metzger ∙ Osaic Wealth, Inc Bart Francis Metzler ∙ Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC John Patrick Meyer ∙ Meyer Capital Management Greg Allen Middendorf ∙ HCM Wealth Advisors

David Lauren Speer ∙ Cornerstone Financial Group John Charles Spencer ∙ Hackman Financial Group Christopher Stiver ∙ LPL Financial Todd D. Stout ∙ The Legend Group Elaina C. Stuard ∙ Robert W. Baird & Co. James Merton Stuart ∙ Morgan Stanley Sam Winslow Taylor ∙ Morgan Stanley Andrew Scott Tedesco ∙ Dougherty Tedesco & Associates Amy Lynn Thomas ∙ Foster & Motley Steven Mark Thomas ∙ Wells Fargo Financial Network

Evan Newton ∙ LPL Financial David J. Nienaber ∙ Foster & Motley Stephen Frederick O’Neill ∙ PTG Wealth Advisors Sean O’Reilly ∙ Merrill Lynch

Aaron Joseph Till ∙ Wells Fargo Advisors Carl Trent ∙ Skylight Financial Group D.J. Trindle ∙ Morgan Stanley

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have “outstanding universal value.” He is hopeful the same will happen for Serpent Mound, which is already on a list of sites for consideration. The evidence Putnam obtained from the burial mounds and village on-site shows Indigenous human presence during three distinct periods: Adena, Hopewell (100 BC/ BCE through 400 AD/CE), and Ft. Ancient (1000–1650 AD/CE). In 1991, Lepper set out to settle once and for all when Serpent Mound was built by using radiocarbon dating on charcoal only—the “gold standard” in archaeology,

His assessment stood until 2012. That year, William Romain, an archaeologist specializing in archeoastronomy (the study of how ancient cultures related to and understood the sky), obtained permission from OHC to further explore the mound. A research associate at Indiana University (IU), he’s managing editor of the Journal of Astronomy in Culture and a recipient of the Robert Converse award for outstanding contributions to Ohio archaeology. Romain’s interest in Serpent Mound began in 1987 when he ﬁrst mapped it; in 2011, he and a team of experts utilized both soil core samples and several new technologies to map the land inside and beneath the serpent, including ground penetrating radar; aerial LIDAR, a technology similar to radar that uses laser light pulses to measure or map areas or objects; ERGI, electrical resistivity ground imaging, a means of mapping below ground by measuring variations in electrical resistivity; and magnetic gradient surveying, measuring changes in the

“PEOPLE WANT TO ATTRIBUTE SERPENT MOUND TO ONE TRIBE,” SAYS ARCHAEOLOGIST WILLIAM ROMAIN. “TO SAY WHICH SPECIFIC TRIBE BUILT IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK.” he says, because it shows evidence of human activity (i.e., ﬁres)—from three different spots in the same section of the mound Putnam had excavated, so as to do “the least possible damage to the intact portion of the mound,” he says. Two of the samples “yielded identical AMS radiocarbon dates” of between 801 and 1,028 years old, which would place the mound’s building between 990 and 1225 AD, a time when the Ft. Ancient people were prevalent in what is now known as Ohio, he says. But because Lepper and his team were sometimes unsure where the mound ﬁll ended and the undisturbed soil beneath it began, the third core sample ended up coming from a depth that Lepper later determined was more than 70 centimeters below the base of Serpent Mound, so it dated much older—to 1068 BC. Because of the incorrect depth, he set the outlier aside and instead focused on the other two samples.

Earth’s magnetic ﬁeld, which can indicate the presence of buried features or artifacts. Among his team was Bill Monaghan, former director of IU’s Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, “one of the top geophysicists in the world,” says Romain. The team extracted samples from 17 different locations across the serpent’s entire body and recovered datable materials from seven. They didn’t test just soil that included charcoal, as Lepper did, but also extracted bulk sediment samples, where carbon was mixed in with the soil. The samples were then sent to a lab, Beta Analytic, Inc., “who advised me that the samples ‘provided plenty of carbon for an accurate measurement,’ ” says Romain. In addition to staying clear of the areas where Putnam, and later Lepper, had excavated, Romain took great care to gather samples from areas of the mound where Monaghan could clearly distinguish be-

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tween the base of the mound and areas below it. Romain’s results stood in stark contrast to Lepper’s. His results showed that Serpent Mound was constructed between 381 and 44 BCE, with a median date of 321 BCE, placing it back in line with Putnam’s theory that it was built in the Adena period. Romain also notes that there were “absolutely zero” pieces of charcoal or artifacts from Lepper’s proposed Ft. Ancient time period at the bottom of the mound. “Nothing, not one flake, no trace of Ft. Ancient materials,” he says. “Zero.” Lepper’s research was flawed, Romain speculates, because Lepper and his team did not sample at the base of the mound. Romain believes the younger dates Lepper obtained are real; he just thinks they’re reflective of subsequent restorations or occupations of the mound. “I don’t see any evidence of that,” says Lepper on the restoration theory. In response to Romain’s work, he published a detailed paper to argue why he believes his method of dating is superior and why Romain’s was unreliable and likely skewing older. He also notes,“If you look at symbolic objects used by the Adena, there are virtually no representations of serpents. If you look at the Ft. Ancient culture and the broader Mississippian culture, of which the Ft. Ancient were a part, there are serpents on everything: pendants, tablets, rims of pottery.” There are also thousands of other effigy mounds built in the upper Midwest between 700 and 1100 AD, Lepper says, including Alligator Mound in Licking County, another Ohio effigy mound Lepper excavated, which has charcoal embedded in the soil that dates to the Ft. Ancient culture. “If Serpent Mound is Adena,” he says, “it’s a bizarre outlier, since every other effigy was done during this later period.” Frustrated by the conflicting research and not wanting to further excavate the mound, Lepper began thinking about the site in relation to other Native American artworks from similar eras and communities. When he came across a book about Missouri’s Picture Cave—a now privatelyowned Osage site with a cave full of nearly 300 ancient wall drawings—he noticed that one of the panels showed a serpent next to a big oval next to a splayed leg figure. The authors, he says, believe the three images were

SACRED GROUND painted by Dhegihan Sioux to represent a creation story involving “first woman,” who, through a sexual act with the serpent, acquired its power to create life on Earth. Instantly, Lepper thought of the mysterious wishbone-shaped mound MacLean drew in his own map of the site and wondered if the wishbone was actually the legs of “first woman.” Was Serpent Mound telling a similar story? To the untrained eye, the cave drawings and Serpent Mound look nothing alike— the cave drawing oval is much larger, hairier, and nowhere near the serpent, plus its “serpent” is more of a slightly squiggly line. Yet the serpent piece of the story has loose roots in Native American tradition. Indeed, Barnes confirms, “Shawnee history incorporates serpents in many forms.” An Indian Country Today article quotes him saying, “The great serpent is present within our Shawnee traditions and religious practices today; this is our umbilical, our connection to the world below.” And not just Shawnee, either. Hopewell, Pawnee, Cherokee, Arapaho, Chickasaw, Blackfoot, Peoria, Ojibwe, Aztecs, and others all have traditions involving serpents. Lepper agrees that Serpent Mound is “a gigantic shrine to the serpent of the Beneath World,” noting that “the serpent had immense spiritual power that could be invoked through prayer.” But since he also thinks MacLean’s wishbone-shaped mound could originally have been part of the structure, he believes the oval shape between the woman’s legs and the serpent could represent a female vulva and would have served as a portal to the Beneath World for ancient cultures, where leaders made “offerings of supplication and thanksgiving to the powers of that other world in return for the power needed to save their world.” Romain has always believed the mound was built to reference the Serpent of the Beneath (or Other) World and that Indigenous people felt the entire Serpent Mound area served as a portal. He’s looked to other sites to try and place Serpent Mound in context, but his search focused primarily on the more than 70 other earthworks and mounds peppered throughout Ohio, many of which are also somehow aligned with the sun, moon, or stars. His theory is that

some of the Ohio earthworks, when examined together, tell different parts of a story about the journey a soul takes when a Native American dies. Regarding the wishbone above the serpent’s mouth, Romain doesn’t think MacLean’s map carries much weight given that the LIDAR, magnetic gradient surveying, and other survey images he took of the site show no remnants of such a structure. Besides, he notes, “There is no way it could fit on the promontory above the oval. It would hang over the end of the cliff.” According to Romain, Serpent Mound is an ancient burial ground and can be considered the terrestrial equivalent, or metaphor for, the Realm of the Dead. “It makes sense,” he says, “because the serpent represents the guardian and protector of the dead. This area is the portal to the other world in my view—and what else is a grave site, except the entrance to another world?” Despite the fact he’s spent years studying the mound’s age and defending his research, Romain also admits that figuring out exactly who built the mound is never really going to happen. Muddying the waters, the Shawnee, who the OHC consults with in its management of the site in the absence of any federally recognized Ohio tribes or reservations, claim Serpent Mound is likely their ancestral land. “Our ancestors may well have built the serpent,” Barnes says in a 2022 Indian Country Today article. That could be true, given they definitively lived in this region, but it’s far from confirmed. “People want to attribute Serpent Mound to one tribe or another for political reasons,” says Romain. “To me it’s obvious to say it was built by Native Americans. But to say which specific tribe built it 1,000 or 2,000 years ago is pretty much an impossible task. The Miami could have been in southwest Ohio, the Shawnee could have been in Southwest Ohio, and even the Cherokee, whose territory extended within 30 miles of Serpent Mound at the Ohio River.” IF LEPPER AND ROMAIN HAVE EACH spent decades trying to understand Serpent Mound, Thomas Johnson has spent just as much time exploring the impact crater next door. The paleontologist moved here in 1978 to study Ohio’s state fossil, worked

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through the Smithsonian studying Ceasar Creek, and loaned the institution one of his Trilobite fossil collections for exhibit between 1985 and 2011. Today, he owns House of Phacops Rock Shop, roughly four miles from Serpent Mound. Johnson has a theory that Serpent Mound’s impact crater is the only place on Earth where an asteroid has hit on a fault line. “I think it created a field of energy,” he says. “It isn’t written in science, but it’s observed.” As a result, he says, people who live near the crater regularly experience magnetic anomalies affecting computers, cars, batteries, compass needles, and even weather. A 2003 report published by five researchers on behalf of Ohio’s Department of Natural Resources notes the many fault lines in the crater and acknowledges there is an angled line of “magnetic anomaly” running through essentially the center of Serpent Mound. The report does not, however, discuss any effects the anomaly might have on people who spend time near it. Was Serpent Mound built purposely beside the impact crater, or perhaps inspired by it? On this, Lepper and Johnson sort of agree. “The Indigenous people certainly recognized it was a unique, jumbled geology,” says Lepper, “but there’s very little way ordinary people walking around would recognize it was a crater.” Johnson, too, believes the crater and Serpent Mound “just happen to be next to each other.” That said, “The connection is the energy. People who are into energies can feel it in their bodies. They can tell you exactly where that fault line is because that’s where they want to do ceremony. Because Native Americans work with ground energy, they recognize areas and fields of energy and gravitate toward that.” He then adds a verbal asterisk: “Who knows? It’s not written.” Indeed, because there is no written or oral record, “Serpent Mound attracts more craziness,” says Lepper, which led him and Ohio State University’s Roth Cook to write a paper debunking various theories, which over time included the Garden of Eden, Nephilim, “Harmonic Convergence,” and alien theories—which caused an uproar after OHC allowed the show Ancient Aliens to film at Serpent Mound. Barnes expresses frustration at the seemingly ever-emerging

theories.“How come it’s easier to believe that giants, ancient aliens, Nephilim, or any other fantasy built this site than it is to believe Indigenous people built it? It’s so improbable and impossible for people to think Indigenous people could have been so curious, industrious, and genius to have built places like Hopewell or Serpent Mound that we have to subscribe some fantastical idea.” In the U.S., 27 places are already UNESCO World Heritage sites, ranging from Yellowstone to the Everglades, Grand Canyon, Statue of Liberty, and Mammoth Cave. Since 2023, the list also includes Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, eight 1,600–2,000-yearold “earthen enclosure complexes” along central tributaries of the Ohio River aligned to cycles of sun and moon. Lepper was instrumental in getting Serpent Mound considered for the UNESCO list; unfortunately, says Johnson, “The site was initiated and went through all the protocol but didn’t make the ﬁnal draw because they couldn’t agree on the date.” For now, says Barnes, the long-term goal is simpler: “Create a buffer around Serpent Mound and protect it for future generations.” That began this spring when the Shawnee purchased acreage adjoining the Serpent Mound site. In an interview for Ancient Art Archive, Barnes notes that “these places need to be protected. And if we don’t advocate, ﬁght for the beautiful things of this world, those things will be consumed.” Indeed, says Johnson, “If it wasn’t for a group of women in Boston, who knows what Serpent Mound would be today? I also give OHC credit for preserving the place and taking care of it.” More than a historical place, Serpent Mound—whatever it’s meant to depict—is a deeply beautiful and spiritual place. “As chief of the Shawnee tribe, I’ve gotten to travel to a great many places,” says Barnes, who was raised Catholic by his parents. “Only two have made me feel a deep connection: [Serpent Mound and sites associated with the Shawnee people around Red River Gorge]. The feeling I get at Serpent Mound is akin to arriving at Notre Dame Cathedral and knowing you’re standing on sacred ground.”

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YOU GOT TA HAVE FAITH CONTINUED FROM PAGE 57

OF COURSE THORNTON GREW UP MIDDLE class in a small town: Evansville, Indiana, on the Ohio River three hours west of Cincinnati. Its in-decline Midwestern-ness is captured in photos throughout the opening credits of the sitcom Roseanne. His family wasn’t particularly conservative or religious—his parents voted for Democrats— but he was personally drawn to the town’s thriving Christian scene. “It’s so hard to remember the world before the internet,” says Thornton. “In 1988, my whole little world was the mall and high school. You could get in trouble

He says he wasn’t conscious of the appeal, but it nurtured the beginner artist in him. One of the performances, on a mission trip to New York’s Spanish Harlem, involved dressing up as clowns, each representing a different sin. There was lust clown, abortion clown, and—embodied by Thornton—AIDS clown. The irony was not lost on this closeted kid. Well into his 40s, Thornton could look back nostalgically on the bizarre religious subculture and get others to laugh with him about the time. In one post, he recalls attempting to speak in tongues, a charismatic activity not practiced in his church. “Shamala hamala,” he uttered during a service. Fellow parishioners riffed on similar nonsensical phrases until the pastor hastily wrapped things up. The term would have lasting meaning. “As funny as I make it and reﬂect on its absurdity, it was extraordinarily painful,” he says of his youth. “One of the darker moments was when I was 12 or 13 years

CINCINNATI IS THE HOME THORNTON HAD BEEN MISSING HIS WHOLE LIFE. “IT HAS AN ARTS COMMUNITY THAT REALLY EMBRACED ME, MADE ME FEEL LIKE A PART OF SOMETHING.” or you could go to church. Those were your options.” For him, the choice was easy. “The churches went big on teenagers, so every single weekend there was a pizza party, a rock concert, a big gymnasium event.” Besides free food and fellowship, church also offered something he didn’t yet know he yearned for: a platform. Thornton and his teenage friends performed sketches and plays at Coffee Café, their holy homemade hangout, where the novelties of “expresso” and “la-tays” were served. (This was before Starbucks caffeinated the heartland.) “I feel like I’m at Lollapalooza,” he recalls a fellow parishioner saying to him, painting DayGlo stripes on its basement walls, “but, like, without the sin.” Thornton remembers marveling , They’re gonna let me get on stage and do something in front of a built-in audience?

old, drenched in shame. I was thinking of burning a cross into my body. This isn’t funny. It’s very tragic. A tortured 12-yearold trying to fix themself. It’s an awful story.” When Thornton recorded the audiobook for his memoir, that passage choked him up. After an attempt at heterosexuality backﬁred (details in the book!), he moved to New York City. The change of scenery didn’t magically resolve anything for Thornton, who, instead of coming out, returned to Indiana for college. By that time, he says, “I was a shell of a human being. I was fried.” He smoked and drank and fornicated, pretending not to know students in the campus Christian group, where he also secretly sought solace. “Two lives I couldn’t reconcile, two halves I couldn’t stitch together,” he writes in Big Baby. “All the mo-

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ments of guilt and fear and shame were so tragically unnecessary.” To fully come out, he moved to the gay mecca hailed in the Chappell Roan song “Pink Pony Club.” In West Hollywood, Thornton slogged through the foothills of the stand-up comedy circuit while his livein boyfriend cheated on him and blacked out on booze. What’s an artist to do? If you’re Thornton, you channel your heartbreak into country western songs. He moved to Nashville, donning muttonchops and a black cowboy hat. His queer-folk band Indiana Queen earned a modicum of success. The timing, however, also did him wrong. The band’s albums dropped in the era of Napster, and it eventually fizzled. Onward to the next incarnation. He likens his successive artistic modes to a favorite childhood treat. “By the time I was old enough to buy TV dinners on my own, they had lost their appeal,” he recalls in Big Baby. “I’ve learned life is a series of phases like this—wanting something, then growing a little older and not wanting that thing at all.” Next came filmmaking. Dekkoo, a streaming service specializing in fare for gay men, bought his feature film (How to Get From Here to There) and financed and produced two series (the eerie Soul Mate and the brilliant, moving ensemble Stranger Hearts). In the scrappy tradition of indie filmmakers, Thornton scrounged up the money himself and wore every hat during production. “Some people are just natural auteurs who have an eye for talent,” says Brian Sokel, president of Dekkoo. “They can work in a space that’s budgetarily hindered but be capable of making something visually beautiful that’s also touching, telling, and revealing. Kevin is a perfect example of that.” Moviemaking was shaping up to be Thornton’s sweet spot, marrying his writing, visual, and physical gifts. Dekkoo was thrilled with Stranger Hearts. Its premiere took place in Nashville in March 2020, three days before the world shut down. Stuck at home during the pandemic, Thornton started making videos for TikTok. He didn’t expect or even intend them to be his ticket to fame. Like many newfan-

gled creators, he was just killing time. His ﬁrst efforts were decidedly un-mainstream: Cupcake Television was a series of absurdist electronica music videos of Thornton in a kind of Tammy Faye Bakker drag. “I am so bored,” he sings in one, “I ate a jar of mayonnaise / I am so bored / Pretend my cat laid eggs.” It channels the zeitgeist of a world gone haywire and showed off yet another of Thornton’s artistic capabilities: contour makeup. “When the vaccine was about to roll out in late 2020, we all felt like we were about to be free and told ourselves, This is over!” says Thornton. “We were all about to go back to work, so I started a new Kevin James Thornton account, my real social media account. But it turned out the pandemic wasn’t over. That’s when I started making the more personal stories.” The autobiographical posts blew up to the (auto) tune of hundreds of thousands and then millions of views and fans. “Kevin is authentic,” says Ben Press, CEO of PressPlay Media Advisors. “Everyone is sold to 24 hours a day, and they build up a shield against that. He wasn’t selling, he was giving his truth. People connected with that. It resonated.” What resonated with Thornton was social media’s novelty and immediacy, sans legacy-media gatekeeping. “This new world of people dancing and lip-syncing, cats falling off counters, and para-social relationships all felt oddly satisfying,” he says. “None of it was particularly new, but it somehow felt fresh.” TikTok proffered Thornton the proverbial one last chance. “I didn’t see it coming,” he says. “I was settled down in a Nashville suburb with cats and a partner and a normal-ish job. I don’t know that I was still trying to make it as an artist. I had sort of let it go. Happily so.” In Big Baby, he looks back at his “failed show business” endeavors and sees scorched earth. He writes, “Ambitions are often a paciﬁer that distract us from our humanity.” And yet the siren song of TikTok seduced him. “I was like, Let’s give it one more shot. How can I not?” Dekkoo was hot for another series of Stranger Hearts, but Thornton, with soaring popularity, didn’t have the time. Says Sokel, “I remember him saying, ‘I’m some-

how famous, and I’m ﬁguring out how to deal with that.’ ” The career he’d chased in Los Angeles and Nashville was now beating a path to his door. THAT DOOR IS CURRENTLY LOCATED IN A spanking new condo overlooking Washington Park. How did he get to Cincinnati? It started with his theatrical career, which (checks notes) I have forgotten to mention. In the 2010s, Thornton submitted applications for a one-man show to fringe festivals across the nation. The Cincinnati Fringe Festival, a two-week event produced by Know Theatre, was the ﬁrst to give him a stage. “Kevin seemed like a unique voice,” says Eric Vosmeier, the festival’s producing artistic director at the time. “He applied three or four years in a row, and every time he brought us something completely different. We kept saying Yes.” Thornton’s contributions weren’t limited to his high ticket sales. “We strived to create a community around the festival, and he dug into that,” says Vosmeier, who now lives in Los Angeles. “He was at the afterparty every night, talking with ticket holders and donors and the other performers. He really participated and lifted up the whole community beyond what happened on stage.” If you asked the younger Thornton where he’d turn 50, he wouldn’t have answered, “In a mid-sized Midwestern city.” But Cincinnati, which he came to know and love on those Fringe Fest trips, “was the home I’d been missing my whole life,” he writes. “It had an arts community that really embraced me, made me feel like a part of something.” Thornton is a completist in the arts, but not so much as it applies to experiencing his new hometown. When his boyfriend suggested they check out the Cincinnati Zoo, which sits just three miles from OTR, he shot back, “If it’s not between Court and Liberty streets, I’m not going.” He was only half joking. Home, now that Thornton has one, is where he wants to be physically. Artistically? He wants to be offline. He was jarred when writing his memoir to observe how the internet had negatively affected him. “I didn’t anticipate

how much of my concentration had deteriorated from social media stuff,” he says. “I really want it back. I’m upset I’ve lost some attention span, so I have been working on unplugging more and reading, enjoying things in a non-online way.” Now past the half-century mark in age, he’s trying gently to pull away from the medium that propelled him into fame. “That desire started the concept of this space,” he says of the cavernous Shamala Hamala gallery on Main Street. (A cover line in the debut issue of Shamala Hamala magazine reads: “The Analog Life.”) “When I saw the space, with its arched brick inside, I thought, This is it. I don’t even know what I’m doing exactly, but this is my little dream life.” Thornton has been spread too thin to fully animate Shamala Hamala, which doesn’t have a staff. But seeds are in place for the artistic community he envisions. One half is his space exclusively, mainly for photography; the other half, more publicfacing, has hosted old movie nights, group art shows, and a pop-up 1990s-themed gift shop. Of late Thornton is taking his “Paint With Kevin” sessions, recorded for online dissemination, live. Guests can pay a nominal fee to hang out and ask questions as he works. (Find programming details at shamalahamala.com.) He still has tour dates to fulﬁll, not to mention appearances to promote his book. But now, with the pandemic fading in the rearview mirror, he’d like to fully inhabit the 45202 ZIP code. His videos these days are less about growing up religious and more about ﬁnding inspiration IRL. Still, he continues to ruminate in person on the realm that oppressed him and then provided fodder for his rise. “My faith is a constantly evolving thing,” he says. “For a long chunk of my 30s and 40s I would have told you, ‘I’m an atheist,’ and I have softened on that. For a long period I thought I had given enough of my energy to the afterlife, and I am no longer interested in considering it. I had done enough.” So what does he believe now? “Hell, I don’t know,” says Thornton. “I hope it’s true that there’s an afterlife. It’s a lovely idea. I’d rather live in that hope than not. So why not?”

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ULTRA LOCAL IN NEWPORT P. 118

BROWNIES IN HARRISON P. 120

OHIO AUTHOR Q&A P. 122

FAIRE FOOD P. 124

MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL Even with your back to the dining area, you’ll be able to see all of the dishes coming from the kitchen at The Baker’s Table through the assortment of mirrors behind the bar.

PHOTOGRAPH BY CHRIS VON HOLLE

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DINING OUT

SETTING THE TABLE

A NEW CULINARY EXPERIENCE HAPPENS EVERY MONTH AT THIS NEWPORT EATERY. — M . L E I G H H O O D

ACK IN 2018, IN AN UNASSUMING STOREFRONT ON MONMOUTH STREET, A JAZZ musician-turned-chef wanted to create a restaurant that made its own bread. Today, that restaurant has become one of the most exciting farm-totable destinations in the tri-state. This is The Baker’s Table, and the chef is Dave Willocks, formerly of Salazar, Mita’s, and Allez Bakery. His wife, designer Wendy Braun, created the vibe, pairing the family’s antique 10-foot baker’s table with a relaxed vintage aesthetic inspired by Willocks’s love of old botanical texts. Cool greens that flirt with teal contrast the golden velvet couch near the entrance, and much of the framed art illustrates the theme. But James Beard Award nominations don’t recognize decor, and Willocks cares more about what he puts on that table than its aesthetic. Most great restaurants source locally where possible, and chefs build a handful of seasonal specials around what’s available. Seasonal, in that context, is a quarterly concern: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Here, seasonal means something different. Every month, The Baker’s Table introduces a fivecourse meal centered on foods at their peak. That means strawberries picked at their sweetest, corn fresh from the field, and homegrown tomatoes. Apart from wine, olive oil, seafood, and spices, food comes from farmers no more than a stone’s throw away. Constructing a new menu every month is not a one-man job. Willocks’s team elevates his phenomenal cooking to a well-rounded, inclusive experience. General Manager/Sommelier Ryan Hastings brings his passion and expertise to the menu’s wine pairings; Jake Schrader, the bar manager, designs a separate 1 1 8 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

FYI

The Baker’s Table 1004 Monmouth St., Newport, (859) 261-1941, bakerstablenewport.com Hours Dinner Wed & Thurs 5 p.m.–8:30 p.m. (last seating), Fri & Sat 5 p.m.– 9 p.m. (last seating) Prices $45 (Spirit-Free Pairing)–$90 (Tasting Menu) Credit Cards All major The Takeaway Taste the best of the season at The Baker’s Table, where local ingredients meet the monthly inspiration of a 2026 James Beard Award-nominated chef.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY CHRIS VON HOLLE

SEASON’S GREETINGS (From left) Chef/Owner David Willocks; fritto misto starter with Atlantic calamari and chive remoulade; dining area at The Baker’s Table; entremet cake with Bavarian cream and peaches.

set of mocktails and nonalcoholic beverages; and Dining Room Captain Rachel Williams orchestrates the front of house. With the support of Sous Chef Evan Previte and Pastry Chef/Baker Sarah Ouelette, Willocks brings the monthly show to the stage. Each course features two options, providing just enough choice to keep you involved, and making that choice can be heartbreaking. The easiest solution is to order opposite your dining partner and swap bites. The servers encourage sharing, and they understand the desire to try the full spectrum of limited-run dishes while they’re available. Once something leaves the menu, there’s no guarantee it will return. Even if it does, you’ll probably have a long wait before the key ingredients are back in season. The unofficial first course is, naturally, the famous sourdough with a side of salted butter. Soft where it counts and crusty where it matters, it’s as comforting as it is exciting. There are typically two slices per person, and no one will steal your bread plate until it’s well and truly empty, so feel free to keep nibbling throughout the meal. Service is quick, but there’s always a pause when your dinner is made fresh, so a little finger food supports conversation and blunts impatience. After the bread, your dinner will feature whatever the farmers have ready. The chefs like to challenge themselves with new techniques and skills. In July, that meant mastering smoked brisket, but your plate may feature a daunting type of pastry, a tricky sauce, or a foray into uncharted flavor combinations. While fresh food speaks for itself, Willocks translates it into poetry.

Something taste especially great? Ask who made or grew it. Treasures worth asking after hide on every plate, like the peaches in July’s stone fruit starter (cling stone peaches, cherries, cucumbers, smoked labneh, and lavender-infused honey). The entire dish was delicately sweet and creamy, but the peaches were something else. When we inquired, our server told us an Amish gentleman provides the fruit in tandem with a local co-op. Sadly, they don’t sell to individual shoppers. Wine pairings are just as inspirational. Hastings matched the nutty, spicy bucatini with chile oil, hazelnut, and sesame with a charming Gewürztraminer from Good Pain Wines, a tiny brand by a friend of his based in Oregon. The wine cooled the chile’s heat without snuffing it out entirely, and the subtle sweetness drew out the hazelnut. And there’s no need to deceive yourself into believing this place is pure health food in the pejorative sense. The dark chocolate cake, with raspberry and candied pecan—with a texture so rich it’s closer to a torte—is decadence incarnate. There’s just enough of everything. The portions encourage you to slow down, taste the season, and really experience the moment no matter what is on the month’s menu. You can trust each meal has the same hometown roots. The mushrooms in your pasta come from Rich Life Farm and Fungi, the edible ﬂowers are grown by Little Sunshine, and the cheese hails from Urban Stead. So once upon a time a storefront met a jazz musician-turnedchef, became a limit-pushing attraction, and did very, very well. And the chef? He’s a rising star with an exciting future, but he’s still a musician, even if it isn’t his day job. He has plans to perform with his friend Erin Fitzpatric and The Jazz Coasters, so the next time you see a swing band, check for the baker without his table. O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 1 1 9

SNACK TIME

BITE SIZED AFTER OPENING IN Harrison Square Shopping Center three years ago, AberSon’s Kitchen & Desserts has built quite a reputation for itself on the west side. Following more than 30 years in restaurants and catering, owner James Trent and his family wanted to focus on desserts, and the result is a varied selection of confections and a rotating menu of seasonal sweets, including personal size treats. Take, for example, the brownie bites. The foundation is chewy, chocolatey, and fudgy, made with Dutch cocoa and dark chocolate for a luxurious yet bittersweet snack. But why not take it up a notch? Try the turtle (smeared with a dollop of salted caramel and garnished with a toasted pecan) or the peanut butter, topped with peanut butter, chocolate, ganache, and a sprinkle of candied peanut crunch. For holidays or special occasions, Trent often plays with other ﬂavor combinations. Just walk on in and take your pick. —EMMA BALCOM AberSon’s Kitchen & Desserts, 10548 Harrison Ave., Ste. 1400, Harrison, (513) 715-1145, abersonsdesserts.com

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PHOTOGRAPH BY ANDREW DOENCH

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THE AUTHOR OF UNIQUE EATS and Eateries of Ohio wants readers to turn meals into memories. You’re originally from Ohio, right? Yes, I’m a small-town girl who grew up in Plain City. What was your favorite statespeciﬁc food growing up? I loved homemade comfort food, so Ohio Amish Country was always a place I loved to go and get some of the local made goodies.

The Right Notes “MITSUWA” IS JAPANESE FOR “THREE HARMONIES,” AND IT’S A FITTING NAME FOR THIS superstore. One of only 13 locations in the country, Mitsuwa Marketplace has a grocery store, a bookstore, and an impressive food court, which offers all kinds of noodle bowls, rice bowls, sushi, and other staples. The crown jewel is Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, which serves up ramen noodles in the traditional rich, hearty brown broth while its tokusen toroniku (ramen with roasted pork cheeks) comes in a creamy white soup. At Tokyo Shokudo, snag the popular katsu curry (curry with a crispy, breaded pork or chicken cutlet). The entrées are all well and good, but it’s the sweets you really want. Pastry House Hippo has shelves of Asian pastries, including fruit sando (with whipped cream, gelatin, and mascarpone), shokupan (milk bread), and melon pan (a sweet bun with a thin layer of cookie dough on top). If you want a cold sweet treat, J. Sweets has the smoothest mochi ice cream you might ever taste. The fresh frozen cream wrapped in rice cake comes in more than a dozen ﬂavors. Try something traditional, like the sakura (made with salted cherry blossom bean paste) or the uji kintoki Mitsuwa Marketplace, 100 E. (green tea), or experiment with the chocolate banana or the caramel Algonquin Rd., #153, Arlington Heights, macchiato. If you’re stuffed from making the rounds at the food court Illinois, (847) 9566699, mitsuwa.com/ch — A I E S H A D . L I T T L E stalls, the frozen mochi will survive the ride home. 1 2 2 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

What inspired you to write this book? Food has always been one of my favorite ways to experience a destination. When I travel, I want to know where the locals eat and what dish a place is known for. I realized Ohio has so many incredible restaurants with fascinating stories behind them, and I wanted to bring those stories together. What was your favorite Cincinnati discovery for the book? Camp Washington Chili was the place I went with. It has such a fun vibe. Do you think Ohio’s food scene gets a bad rap compared to other states? Ohio’s food scene is underestimated. We have incredible chefs, historic restaurants, immigrant food traditions, farm-to-table dining, diners, bakeries, Amish cooking, barbecue, international cuisine, and some wonderfully quirky foods. The diversity is what makes eating your way around Ohio so much fun.

–AIESHA D. LITTLE gleasonfamilyadventure.com/category/ ohio/oh-places-to-eat/ Read a longer interview with Brandy at cincinnatimagazine.com

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FOODOGRAPHY

Medieval Times

Check out the food and drinks at the nation’s best Ren faire.

T’S FAIRE SEASON IN O h i o, a n d n o t h i n g marks the occasion like some medieval grub. With more than 60 food and beverage areas to choose from, you’re bound to find something you like at the Ohio Renaissance Festival through November 1. If you really want to be on theme, the giant smoked turkey leg is the only way to go. Brittany Reed, ORen’s food and beverage director, says turkey legs are the most popular food item. “What’s Ren faire without a turkey leg?” she quips. Clearly fairgoers agree—the festival sells upwards of 30,000 of them every year. In the off season, Reed and her partner-in-food-management Aaron Powell scour food shows, drink tastings, and even other Ren faires to research food and drink trends. “We try very hard to bring in new options every season while maintaining the staples everyone has come to enjoy while they are visiting the park,” she says. And what goes best with faire noshes? Mead, of course. ORen has ﬁve mead options on site, including its most requested drink: the Queens Tea, Woodchuck Hard Cider mixed with honey mead from Akron’s Crafted Artisan Meadery. This year, the festival is adding the Alchemist Elixirs gazebo, which will serve up “starry” mocktails and “dirty

style” Alani drinks for caffeine lovers. Reed says a must-try during October is the warm brown butter tart from Aleing Knight Pub and the chili mac bread bowl from the Bread Bowl Kitchen. The chili

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mac is one of the festival’s secret menu items, so be sure to ask for it by name. —AIESHA D. LITTLE Ohio Renaissance Festival, 10542 OH-73, Waynesville, (513) 897-7000, renfestival.com

ILLUSTR ATIO N BY STE F H A D IW D IJA JA

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AMERICAN 128 BARBECUE 129 CAJUN/CARIBBEAN 130 CHINESE 130 ECLECTIC 130 FRENCH 132 INDIAN 132 ITALIAN 132 JAPANESE 134 KOREAN 134 MEDITERRANEAN 134 MEXICAN 134 SEAFOOD 135 STEAKS 135 THAI 135 VIETNAMESE 135

DINING GUIDE CINCINNATI MAGAZINE’S

dining guide is compiled by our editors as a service to our readers. The magazine accepts no advertising or other consideration in exchange for a restaurant listing. The editors may add or delete restaurants based on their judgment. Because of space limitations, all

still haven’t embraced Cincinnati-style coneys, try the Chicago-style hot dog with pickles, onions, relish, mustard, tomato, sport peppers, and celery salt; a pork sandwich; or wings. Although the chocolate malt is the biggest seller, we love the $4.75 pineapple shake, made with real pineapple.

AMERICAN BRONTË BISTRO You might think this is a lunch-only spot where you can nosh on a chicken salad sandwich after browsing next door at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. But this Norwood eatery feels welcoming after work, too. The dinner menu features entrées beyond the rotating soup and quiche roster that’s popular at noon. Mac and cheese? Check. Quesadillas and other starters? Yep. An assortment of burgers? Present, including bacon jam sliders. Casual food rules the day but the surprise is Brontë Bistro’s lineup of adult beverages, which elevates the place above a basic bookstore coffeeshop. The regular drinks menu includes such mainstays as cosmopolitans and mules. 2692 Madison Rd., Norwood, (513) 396-8970, josephbeth.com/bronte. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $

COZY’S CAFÉ & PUB On a visit to England, Jan Collins discovered the “cozy” atmosphere of London restaurants built in historic houses. She brought that warm, comfortable feeling back to the United States in opening Cozy’s. Though the atmosphere in the restaurant is reminiscent of Collins’s London travels, the food remains proudly American. The produce in virtually every dish is fresh, seasonal, and ﬂavorful. The braised short rib stands out with its cheesy grits and haystack onions along with a portion of tender meat. And when it comes down to the classics, from the biscuits that open the meal to the carrot cake at the end, Cozy’s does it right.

of the guide’s restaurants may not be included. Many restaurants have changing seasonal menus; dishes listed here are examples of the type of cuisine available and may not be on the menu when you visit. To update listings, e-mail: cmletters@cincinnati magazine.com

3703 Beekman St., South Cumminsville, (513) 541-7636, mrgenesdoghouse.com. Open FebOct for lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MC, V. $

THE NORTHSTAR CAFÉ

BIG EASY’S BACK

Jimmie Lou’s will reopen in the old Razzo space in Pendleton this fall. Named after Nolia chef/owner Jeffery Harris’s great grandmother, the New Orleans-style eatery—known for its po’boys, jambalaya, and beignets— lived inside Oakley Kitchen Food Hall from 2021 to 2024.

6440 Cincinnati Dayton Rd., Liberty Twp., (513) 644-9365, cozyscafeandpub.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$$$

MR. GENE’S DOGHOUSE Cumminsville is home to arguably the best hot chili cheese mett and chocolate malt in Greater Cincinnati. A family-owned business that began as a simple hot dog stand more than 50 years ago, Mr. Gene’s still attracts lines of loyal customers at its windows. Can’t stand the heat? Order the mild chili cheese mett—more ﬂavor, fewer BTUs. And if you

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In Northstar’s ﬁrst outpost beyond the Greater Columbus area, the space itself reflects the ethos of the food: warm and comfortable, but still modern and fresh. The dinner and cocktail menus are fab, as is the large bar. But breakfast is worth waking up early for. Take the mushroom frittata, made with meaty mushrooms, caramelized sweet onions, and Gruyère. The portions are no joke—that frittata comes with breakfast potatoes and arugula—yet it doesn’t feel gluttonous or excessive. In large part that’s due to the freshness (e.g., the sausage made in-house daily) and the abundance of healthy options. One of our favorites: the Shooting Star juice, a balanced blend of carrot, ginger, orange, and lemon. 7610 Sloan Way, Liberty Township, (513) 759-0033; 7875 Montgomery Rd., Ste. 3112, Kenwood, (513) 570-5570, thenorthstarcafe. com. Breakfast and dinner seven days, lunch Mon–Fri, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. No cash. $$

QUATMAN CAFÉ The quintessential neighborhood dive, Quatman’s sits in the shadow of the Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Center, serving up a classic bar burger. Look elsewhere if you like your burger with exotic toppings: This half-pound of grilled beef is served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle. Sometimes cheese. The no-frills theme is straightforward and appealing. A menu of standard sandwich fare and smooth mock turtle soup; beer on tap, in cans, and bottles, canned soda, and wine (at the Mason location only); and plenty of kitsch is served daily. Peppered with regulars, families, and political discussions, Quatman’s is far from fancy, but it’s fun, fast, and delicious. 2434 Quatman Ave., Norwood, (513) 7314370; 224 W. Main St., Mason, (513) 229-0222, quatmancafe.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $

KEY: No checks unless specified. AE American Express, DC Diners Club DS Discover, MC MasterCard, V Visa MCC Major credit cards: AE, MC, V $ = Under $15 $$$ = Up to $49 $$ = Up to $30 $$$$ = $50 and up Top 10

= Named a Best Restaurant March 2026.

RON’S ROOST Ron’s stakes its reputation on its fried chicken, serving roughly 10,000 pieces weekly. It takes a few minutes, since each batch is made to order. Ron’s also serves chicken 18 other ways, including grilled chicken options. It’s all about the chicken here, but the menu is ﬁve solid pages of other stuff good enough to be called specialties: Oktoberfest sauerbraten, Black Angus cheeseburgers, fried whiteﬁsh on rye, hot bacon slaw, lemon meringue pie, and the best Saratoga chips this side of Saratoga. 3853 Race Rd., Bridgetown, (513) 574-0222, ronsroost.net. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

THE SCHOOLHOUSE RESTAURANT An old flag stands in one corner and pictures of Abe Lincoln and the first George W. hang on the wall of this Civil War–era schoolhouse. The daily menu of familiar Midwestern comfort fare is written on the original chalkboard. Once you order from a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to your high school lunch lady, the elevated lazy Susan in the center of the table begins to fill up with individual bowls and baskets of cornbread, slaw, salad, mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and vegetables. The deal here is quantity. More mashed potatoes with your fried chicken? More cornbread with your baked ham? You don’t even have to raise your hand. 8031 Glendale-Milford Rd., Camp Dennison, (513) 831-5753, theschoolhousecincinnati.com. Lunch Thurs, Fri & Sun, dinner Thurs–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

SUGAR N’ SPICE This Paddock Hills diner, with other locations in Over-the-Rhine and Blue Ash, has been dishing up wispy-thin pancakes and football-sized omelettes to Cincinnatians since the 1940s. Breakfast and lunch offerings mix old-hat classics like corned beef hash and basic burgers with funky iterations that draw on ethnic ingredients such as chorizo. Get here early if you don’t want to stand in line. 4381 Reading Rd., Paddock Hills, (513) 2423521; 1203 Sycamore St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 762-0390; 10275 Summit Pkwy., Blue Ash, (513) 447-6453, eatsugarnspice.com. Breakfast and lunch seven days. MCC. $ ICON BY STEF HADIWIDJAJA

TANO BISTRO

This Loveland bistro is comfortable, with reasonably priced food and amenable service. The menu is tidy—20 or so dishes divided between appetizers, salads, and entrées, plus two or three specials—inﬂuenced by dishes that owner Tano Williams ﬁnds on his overseas travels. Most of Tano Bistro’s main courses lean toward the comfortable side of American. For instance, Williams serves a stuffed salmon and pasta diablo. The Greek sprouts appetizer is also worth a trip to Loveland, combining crispy Brussels sprouts fried in beef tallow, with whipped feta, crispy phyllo, and hot honey. 204 W. Loveland Ave., Loveland, (513) 683-8266; 150 Riverfront Plaza, Hamilton, (513) 795-8654, foodbytano.com. Lunch Thurs & Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$$

TRIO

Trio is nothing if not a crowd-pleaser. Whether you’re in the mood for a Mediterranean-style pizza or ﬁlet mignon (with a baked potato and compound herb butter), the menu is broad enough to offer something for everyone. It may lack a cohesive point of view, but with the number of regulars who come in seven nights a week, variety is Trio’s ace in the hole. A simple Margherita pizza with Roma tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, and mozzarella delivered a ﬁne balance of crunchy crust, soft cheese, and sweet, roasted tomatoes. Paired with a glass of pinot noir, it made a perfect light meal. The service is friendly enough for a casual neighborhood joint but comes with white tablecloth attentiveness and knowledge. Combine that with the consistency in the kitchen, and Trio is a safe bet. 7565 Kenwood Rd., Kenwood, (513) 984-1905, triobistro.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC. $$$$

BARBECUE BEE’S BARBEQUE

You’ll want to get to Bee’s early if you want to avoid the line of friendly regulars. The restaurant’s smoker churns out a variety of meats—including brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs, turkey breast, and two kinds of sausage—so it’s easy to see why they keep coming back. If you enjoy the spicy grease that oozes out of a good chorizo, you’ll love the Cincinnati Hot Link, which tastes like the delicious love child of a chorizo and a hot mett. Word to the wise: Bee’s opens at 11 a.m. and closes when they run out of meat. 5910 Chandler St., Madisonville, (513) 561-2337. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat; 1403 Vine St., Over-theRhine, (513) 721-2337, beesbarbecue.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

ELI’S BBQ

Elias Leisring started building his pulled pork reputation under canopies at Findlay Market and Fountain Square in 2011. Leisring’s proper little ’cue shack along the river serves up ribs that are speaking-in-tongues good, some of the zazziest jalapeño cheese grits north of the Mason-Dixon line, and browned mashed potatoes that would make any short-order cook diner-proud. The small no-frills restaurant—packed cheek-by-jowl most nights—feels like it’s been there a lifetime, with customers dropping vinyl on the turntable, dogs romping in the side yard, and picnic tables crowded with diners. The hooch is bring-your-own, and the barbecue is bona ﬁde. 3313 Riverside Dr., East End, (513) 533-1957; 133 West Elder St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 533-1957, ext. 2, elisbarbeque.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

WALT’S HITCHING POST

A Northern Kentucky institution returns. Roughly 750 pounds of ribs per week are pit-ﬁred in a small building in front of the restaurant, with a smaller dedicated smoker out back for brisket and chicken. Walt’s ribs begin with several hours in the smokehouse and then are quick-seared at the time of service. This hybrid method takes advantage of the leaner nature of the baby-back O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M 1 2 9

WHERE TO EAT NOW

CHINESE AMERASIA

ribs they prefer to use. Each rib had a just-right tooth to it where soft ﬂesh peeled away from the bone. One hidden treasure: Walt’s homemade tomato and garlic dressing. Slightly thicker than a vinaigrette yet unwilling to overwhelm a plate of greens, the two key elements play well together. 3300 Madison Pike, Ft. Wright, (859) 3602222, waltshitchingpost.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$

CAJUN/ CARIBBEAN BREWRIVER CREOLE More than 800 miles from New Orleans, this may be as close as you can get to the real deal here in your own backyard. The menu fully leans into Chef Michael Shields’s penchant for cuisine from the Crescent City. His six years of training under NOLA’s own Emeril Lagasse comes through in a scratch kitchen menu that spans a range of the city’s classics. The enormous shrimp and oyster po’boys—the former protein fried in a light and crispy beer batter, both covered in a hearty cornmeal breading—are served on ﬂuffy Louisianaimported bread loaves and dressed with aioli, tartar sauce, or a rémoulade. The jambalaya packs all the heat of a late summer day in the French Quarter without masking a hint of its satisfying ﬂavors. Paired with a Sazerac and rotating jazz, blues, and alternative bands. 4632 Eastern Ave., Linwood, (513) 861-2484, brewrivercreolekitchen.com. Dinner Wed–Sun, brunch Sun. MCC. $

SWAMPWATER GRILL At first blush, this place is a dive where homesick Cajuns can find a good pile of jambalaya. But thoughtful details like draft Abita beer and chargrilled Chesapeake Bay oysters on the half shell signal its ambition. Bayou standards like jambalaya, gumbo, and fried seafood also make an appearance. But the extensive menu also features amped-up pub-style items for those who may be squeamish about crawfish tails. You’ll also find a roundup of oyster, shrimp, catfish, and alligator po’boys, as well as a selection of hardwoodsmoked meats. 3742 Kellogg Ave., East End, (513) 834-7067, swampwatergrill.com. Lunch and dinner Wed– Sun, brunch Sat & Sun. V, MC, DS, AMEX. $$

KNOTTY PINE ON THE BAYOU The Pine serves some of the best Louisiana homestyle food you’ll find this far north of New Orleans. Taste the fried catfish filets with their peppery crust, or the garlic sauteed shrimp with smoky greens on the side, and you’ll understand why it’s called soul food. Between March and June, it’s crawfish season. Get them boiled and heaped high on a platter or in a superb crawfish etouffee. But the rockin’ gumbo—a thick, murky brew of andouille sausage, chicken, and vegetables—serves the best roundhouse punch all year round. As soon as you inhale the bouquet and take that first bite, you realize why Cajun-style food is considered a high art form and a serious pleasure. And you’ll start planning your return trip. 6302 Licking Pke., Cold Spring, (859) 7812200, theknottypineonthebayou.com. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

A sense of energetic fun defines this tiny Chinese spot with a robust beer list. The glossy paper menu depicts Master Chef Rich Chu as a “Kung Food” master fighting the evil fast-food villain with dishes like “fly rice,” “Brocco-Lee,” and “Big Bird’s Nest.” Freshness rules. Potstickers, dumplings, and wontons are hand shaped. The Dragon’s Breath wontons will invade your dreams. Seasoned ground pork, onion, and cilantro meatballs are wrapped in egg dough, wok simmered, and topped with thick, spicy red pepper sauce and fresh cilantro. Noodles are clearly Chef Chu’s specialty, with zonxon (a tangle of thin noodles, finely chopped pork, and mushrooms cloaked in spicy dark sauce and crowned with peanuts and cilantro) and Matt Chu’s Special (shaved rice noodles, fried chicken, and seasonal vegetables in gingery white sauce) topping the menu’s flavor charts. 521 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 261-6121, kungfood.online. Lunch and dinner Mon–Fri, dinner Sat. MCC. $

GREAT TANG Although the menu features classic dishes in every style, the specialty at Great Tang is the reﬁned coastal cuisine of Zhejiang. If you like spice, you can get still the Sichuanese and Hunanese classics. One dish will hint at the surprises in store for people who are mainly used to Chinese takeout: the lovely Xi’an cold noodle. The dish is exquisitely layered: the creamy and nutty undertone of sesame paste, mixed with notes of tang and spice, topped with the bright pop of cilantro. The combination of textures is also delightful, with crunches of cucumber and sprouted mung and the softness of the ﬂat noodles. Be as brave as you are in the mood to be. Ask for some suggestions and prepare to be astonished. 7340 Kingsgate Way, West Chester, (513) 847-6097, greattangohio.com. Lunch and dinner Wed–Mon, dim sum Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$

ORIENTAL WOK When Mike and Helen Wong opened Oriental Wok in 1977, the couple wanted to recreate the glamor and refinement of the Hong Kong-Cantonese cuisine they knew. Today, locals and expats alike enjoy authentic Chinese and Chinese-American dishes in dining rooms reminiscent of Beijing. Beyond the elephant tusk entryway and fish ponds and fountains is the warmth and hospitality of the Wong family, service on par with the finest establishments, and very, very good food. Best are the fresh fish: salmon, grouper and a rotating white fish steamed, grilled or fried in a wok, needing little more than the ginger-scallion sauce that accompanies them. Oriental Wok is the tri-state’s longest-running familyowned Chinese restaurant for a reason. 317 Buttermilk Pke., Ft. Mitchell, (859) 331-3000; 2444 Madison Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 871-6888, orientalwok.com. Lunch Mon–Sat (Ft. Mitchell), lunch Tues–Sat (Hyde Park), dinner seven days (Ft. Mitchell), dinner Tues–Sun (Hyde Park). MCC. $$

THE PACIFIC KITCHEN The monster of a menu can be dizzying. Ease in with some top-notch Korean Wings. These slightly bubbly, shatter-crisp wings are painted with a thin gochujang chili sauce (a foil to the fat). It takes 24 hours to prep the Cantonese duck, between a honey-vinegar brine to dry the skin, a marinade of star anise, bean paste, and soy within the resealed cavity, and the crispy convection oven finish. Dolsot bibimbap had plenty of crispy rice at the bottom of the stone bowl, and the accompanying banchan were soothing yet flavorful. Even dishes like a Malaysian goat stew resonated with rich, original flavors.

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8300 Market Place Lane, Montgomery, (513) 898-1833, thepaciﬁc.kitchen. Lunch and dinner Wed–Sun, dim sum lunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

SICHUAN BISTRO Like many Chinese restaurants that cater to both mainstream American and Chinese palates, this strip mall gem uses two menus. The real story here is found in dishes of pungent multi-layered ﬂavors that set your mouth ablaze with fermented peppers and fresh chilies and then just as quickly cool it down with the devilish, numbing sensation of hua jiao, Sichuan pepper. Its numbing effect is subtle at ﬁrst: appetizers of cold sliced beef and tripe, as well as slices of pork belly with a profusion of minced garlic, lean toward the hot and sweet; mapo tofu freckled with tiny fermented black beans and scallions, and pork with pickled red peppers and strips of ginger root, progress from sweet to pungent to hot to salty—in that order. Alternated with cooling dishes—nibbles of rice, a verdant mound of baby bok choy stir-fried with a shovelful of garlic, a simply sensational tea-smoked duck—the effect is momentarily tempered. 7888 S. Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 770-3123, sichuanbistro.com. Lunch Tues–Fri, dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

UNCLE YIP’S Long before sushi somehow un-disgusted itself to the Western World, China had houses of dim sum. Uncle Yip’s valiantly upholds that tradition in Evendale. This is a traditional dim sum house with all manner of exotic dumplings, including shark ﬁn or beef tripe with ginger and onion. As for the seafood part of the restaurant’s full name, Uncle Yip has most everything the sea has to offer. The menu has more than 160 items, so you’ll ﬁnd a range of favorites, from moo goo gai pan to rock salt frog legs. 10736 Reading Rd., Evendale, (513) 733-8484, uncleyips.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $$

ECLECTIC ALCOVE Alcove lives up to its name, the embodiment of a green oasis where lots of care goes into the space’s bright, ﬂoral design. Equal care and attention goes into its seasonal farm-to-table menu. It’s an uncomplicated affair featuring exceptionalbut-approachable dishes. As one might expect from a restaurant where plants cover most of the walls, vegetables are done very well here. The kale and Brussels sprout salad stands out as does the miso glazed cauliﬂower. Like the produce, much of the meat is sourced from local and regional farms. Among other local vendors, Rich Life Farms, Urban Stead Cheese, and Eli Settler (a.k.a. “Eli the Farmer”) all contribute to Alcove’s menu. This is a restaurant that takes sustainability seriously, and sustainability has a funny way of going hand-inhand with quality.

MAKING MOVES

Latin-inspired restaurant Parkside, owned by Trevor Snowden, the man behind Delwood and Guardia, will relocate to the former MexCantina space at corner of Erie Avenue and Edwards Road next spring. The move will double its current seating capacity and kitchen capabilities.

1410 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 371-5700, madtree.com/locations/alcove-bar-restaurant. Brunch Mon–Thurs, Brunch Fri–Sun, dinner seven days. MCC. $$$

BOUQUET RESTAURANT Normally diners aren’t pleased when a restaurant runs out of something. At Bouquet, though, surprise changes to the menu are simply a sign of integrity. The restaurant is serious about using seasonal ingredients, and if the ﬁgs have run out or there is no more chicken from a local farm, so be it. The ﬂavors at Bouquet are about doing justice to what’s available. Preparations are unfussy, complexity coming from within the vegetables and proteins themselves. The Holland Farms ICON BY STEF HADIWIDJAJA

salad—with mixed greens, sea island red peas, watermelon radish, feta, compressed strawberries, applewood smoked and bacon—is drenched in a green goddess dressing. This determination to make something delicious out of what’s on hand, to embrace limitations, gives the food at Bouquet a rustic, soulful quality. 519 Main St., Covington, (859) 491-7777, bouquetbistro. com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DS. $$$

CROWN REPUBLIC GASTROPUB What makes Crown Republic special isn’t its handful of outstanding dishes. It’s the place’s sheer consistency. No single dish is absolutely mind-blowing or completely original, but when almost everything that comes out is genuinely tasty, the service is always friendly and attentive, and (stop the presses!) the bill is quite a bit less than you expected, you sit up and pay attention. The crab and avocado toast, served on toasted bread with lime juice and slivers of pickled Fresno chiles, is a prime example of what makes Crown Republic tick. The cocktails are equally unfussy and good, like the Tequila Honey Bee, made with tequila reposado, honey thyme syrup, lemon, bitters, and mezcal rinse, which adds a smoky kick. 720 Sycamore St., downtown, (513) 246-4272, crownrepublicgastropub.com. Dinner Wed–Sun, brunch Fri–Sun. V, MC, DS, AMEX. $$

THE GREEN LINE KITCHEN & COCKTAILS Named after the historic trolley line that used to run between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, this restaurant combines quality American food with charm and history. Meals feel like homemade Sunday dinners, and with a menu bursting with steaks, seafood, and pasta, there’s something to make everyone’s weekend. The half-roasted chicken appears exactly as promised, with a breast, wing, thigh, and drumstick cooked as one large piece. On the cocktails side, even the designated driver has options beyond iced tea. Nonalcoholic choices range from beer and wine to original mocktails, like the Lavender Spritz (lavender simple syrup, soda water, and lemonade). 425 N. Ft. Thomas Ave., Ft. Thomas, (859) 757-4580, greenlinerestaurant.com. Dinner Tues-Sat, brunch Sun. MCC. $$

MAPLEWOOD KITCHEN At Maplewood, you order at the counter, then ﬁnd a table, and a server will deliver what you’ve selected. There’s no cohesive cuisine, rather, the menu takes its cue from all corners of the globe: chilaquiles, guajillo bowls with chicken are all represented, along with the satisfying Maplewood hash with goetta and local mushrooms. Brunch is available all day so try the light lemon ricotta pancakes or the shakshuka. 525 Race St., downtown, (513) 421-2100, maplewoodkitchenandbar.com. Breakfast and lunch seven days. MCC. $$

MELT REVIVAL In this Northside sandwich joint, the restaurant’s name pretty much dictates what you should get. Diners have their choice of sandwiches, including the vegetarian cheesesteak—seitan (a meat substitute) topped with roasted onions, peppers, and provolone—and The Gobbler, turkey burger served with curried aioli, red cabbage slaw, pickled red onions, and arugula. For those who require meat in their meals, try the verde chicken ﬂatbread: juicy pieces of chicken intermingle with pesto, zucchini, and provolone. Not sure you’ll want a whole sandwich? Try a half-sandwich with a half-salad or half-soup order—a popular selection with the lunch crowd. 4100 Hamilton Ave., Northside, (513) 818-8951, meltrevival.com. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner Tues—Sat, brunch Sun. MCC. $

METROPOLE Metropole has been remarkably stable since it opened in 2012. Even when chefs have left, the restaurant has kept popular dishes on the menu and maintained a certain vibe, a balance between sophistication and rusticity. Its vegetarian fare contains many of its most inventive and delightful creations. Showcasing housemade pastas, house-cured meats, and more, the menu honors the region’s ingredients for a fun and whimsical meals rooted in careful execution

of deep and satisfying ﬂavors.

middle age look sexy.

609 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 578-6660, metropoleonwalnut.com. Breakfast Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$$

6904 Wooster Pke., Mariemont, (513) 271-5400, qbcincy.com. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC, DS. $$

Top 10

RUTH’S PARKSIDE CAFÉ

MITA’S

It’s ﬁtting that Chef/Owner Jose Salazar named this restaurant after his grandmother, because there is something deeply homey about the food at Mita’s. With a focus on Spanish and Latin-American tapas, it always feels, in the best possible way, like elevated home cooking. Its sophistication is modestly concealed. The ﬂavors are bold and direct, like the spicy freshness of the ceviche de camarones with poached gulf shrimp, watermelon, cucumber, red onions, watermelon leche de tigre, buttermilk, and cilantro. The tacos de cordero, which come in pairs, are made with braised lamb, corn salsa, black garlic crema, cotija cheese, and cilantro, and are served on housemade corn tortillas. But what mainly comes through is the warmhearted affection a grandmother might have put into a meal for a beloved grandson. It’s the kind of big hug everyone needs from time to time. 501 Race St., downtown, (513) 421-6482, mitas.co. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$

NICHOLSON’S To remind local diners that they were here before those young dog-toting punks with their exposed brick and crafty ales in Over-the-Rhine, Nicholson’s branded themselves Cincinnati’s “ﬁrst and ﬁnest gastropub,” and revamped the menu to include plenty of snacks and small plates for grazing, and not-quite-brawny, straightforward sandwiches and main dishes. Try the pan-seared salmon, a bowl of cocka-leekie soup, or the BBQ bacon-style burger. And the bar’s clubby intimacy makes it easy to belly up and enjoy the impressive collection of single malts or a Scottish ale. 625 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 564-9111, nicholsonspub.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC. $$

Top 10

NOLIA KITCHEN

Chef/Owner Jeffery Harris, a New Orleans native, prepares the cuisine of his beloved city with sophistication and ﬂair, drawing on all the inﬂuences that have contributed to the cuisine of the Big Easy—from West African to French to Japanese to Haitian. The menu changes seasonally, with almost a complete overhaul each time. If classic New Orleans dishes do show up on the menu, they’re likely to get delightfully unexpected touches. It’s exquisitely prepared food served in a funky, laid-back atmosphere. 1405 Clay St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 384-3597, noliakitchen.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC,DC. $$$

PENNYFLOWER BISTRO & BAR While Pennyflower Bistro & Bar celebrates Fountain Square’s past life as an open-air market with its name, the restaurant offers farm-to-table goodness with its menu. Chef/Owner Jacob Benavides and his team butcher proteins in-house, make sauces from scratch, and even shred their own hash browns, but also work with local businesses to source bread (Sixteen Bricks), gin (Northern Row Distillery), and microgreens (Fort Thomas Microgreens). These and other details are showcased in dishes like the carbonara croquettes, the sweet house pickles on the hot Nashville chicken sandwich, and the Amish chicken pressade. But some of the best parts of the menu hide at the end of the meal, like the “deconstructed” s’mores dessert featuring Italian meringue, vanilla bean ice cream, chocolate ganache, graham cracker crumbs, and dates. 701 Broadway St., downtown, (513) 904-4149, pennyﬂowerbistro.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC. $$$

THE QUARTER BISTRO Quarter Bistro has multiple personalities: one part clubby neighborhood joint, one part dinner and a movie with a dash of lusty romance. The Bistro Burger, a half-pound of black Angus beef, is seasoned but not overly so, with a sturdy-but-not-too-chewy bun. The 18-hour short ribs are the star, and reason enough to skip the movie next door. Braised into a ﬂavor bomb of meat candy, it’s served with Boursin whipped mashed potatoes, roasted baby carrots, grilled asparagus, and short rib jus. With the no-lip service, The Quarter Bistro could be well on the way to making

The spiritual successor of Mullane’s Parkside Café, Ruth’s brings back the vegetable-forward menu with a few concessions to contemporary tastes. Dinner options now include steaks and heavier entrées. But the stir-fries, beans and rice, pasta, and the traditional option to add a protein to an entrée (tofu, tempeh, chicken, shrimp, meatballs, or local chorizo) for an upcharge are all old standards. While dishes are generally hearty, they are rarely too rich, leaving room to freely consider dessert. There is a small selection of baked goods, including a gooey butter cake, homemade fruit pies, and Madisono’s Gelato. 1550 Blue Rock St., Northside, (513) 542-7884, ruthscafe.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$

SACRED BEAST Sacred Beast advertises itself as a kind of upscale diner, but the real gems are the oddball dishes that don’t quite ﬁt the diner mold. The menu can be disorienting in its eclecticism: Parisian-style gnocchi is next to fries with lobster gravy, and a king salmon is next to a diner breakfast and deviled eggs. Winners are scattered throughout the menu in every category. On the cocktail list, the New Fashioned, which features Ritual Zero Proof whiskey, demerara, and Tabasco sauce, is oddly satisfying. The service is good, and there is some ﬂair about the place—including vintage touches, from the facsimile reel-to-reel audio system to the mostly classic cocktails—even within its rather chilly industrial design. In short, go for the unique grub; stay for the elegant, shareable twists on classic snacks. 1437 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 213-2864, sacredbeastdiner.com. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Wed– Sun. MCC, DS. $ Top 10

SALAZAR

Chef Jose Salazar’s namesake restaurant returned to the culinary landscape in new digs (right across the street from Mita’s) with a fresh menu full of style. There are classics from the old venue, but Salazar’s vision for this new, larger space features fresh, joyful ambition you can see, smell, and taste. Much of the food’s vibrance is due to the emphasis on seasonality. However, The Little Fried Oyster Slider is a microcosm of the Salazar experience as a whole. It’s inventive, colorful, and surprisingly playful. Everything is made with love and obsessive attention to detail, from the housemade brioche bun to the artfully arranged greens that bloom just so around the sandwich’s periphery. Little, polishing touches to the menu, like loose leaf tea from Churchill’s, underline the reborn Salazar’s investment in honing a unique, but entirely comfortable, dining experience. 101 W. Fifth St., downtown, (513) 345-1500, salazarcincinnati.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$

Top 10

SUDOVA

Sarah Dworak packed a lot into her latest venture. She began introducing fresh takes on eastern European cuisine to the dining scene via the nowdefunct Wodka Bar, and while everyone loved its pierogi window, Dworak wanted to offer more. Sudova gives her the literal space to spread her wings with far more seating and a built-out kitchen. Recipes for the halushki, holubtsi, and rye varenyky come straight from Dworak’s baba and they are the jewels in the restaurant’s crown. Most small plates arrive dressed in herbs from Dark Wood Farm and culinary ﬂower petals, deepening the illusion that you’ve stopped for dinner at some grandmother’s cottage deep in the woods, and she’s just picked something fresh from the garden. You should feel grateful that you don’t have to go over the hills and through the woods to get it. 22 W. Court St., downtown, (513) 407-7974, sudovaoncourt.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$$

TASTE OF BELGIUM Jean-François Flechet’s waffle haven grew from a back counter of Madison’s grocery at Findlay Market to several full-service sit-down spots. There’s more on the menu than the authentic Belgian treat, though it would be a crime to miss the waffle and chicken: a dense, yeasty waffle topped with a succulent buttermilk fried chicken breast (covered in panko breadcrumbs), Frank’s hot sauce, and maple syrup.

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WHERE TO EAT NOW

not eating something.

laboration with Northern Row).

1400 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 381-1018, coletteotr.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DC. $$

7022 Miami Ave., Madeira, (513) 272-0192, atavolapizza.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. V, DC, MS, AMEX. $$

LUCA BISTRO There are also frites, of course, and Brussels sprouts— served with pancetta and sherry vinaigrette—plus a gem of a Bolognese. And let’s not forget the beer. Six rotating taps offer some of the best seasonal and traditional Belgians brews, not to mention those made in town. 16 W. Freedom Way, downtown, (513) 396-5800, and other locations, authenticwaffle.com. Breakfast and lunch seven days, dinner Tues–Sun, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$

20 BRIX This restaurant mixes American fusion with homespun choices and comes up with some marvelous food. Lamb meatballs with melted onions and romesco sauce are sweet and peppery, and their simplicity partners well with a lush Tempranillo. The excellent wine list features dozens of varieties by the glass in ﬁve-ounce or two-ounce pours, which makes it easy to try several.

This unabashedly French restaurant, with its French posters, bright red outer paneling, and chalkboard menu proclaiming its specials to passersby, ﬁts into its Mt. Adams environs so perfectly that it’s hard to imagine Hatch Street without it. That, combined with warm service, timeless French fare, and relaxed joie de vivre makes this a true neighborhood establishment. Chef Frédéric Maniet grew up in the south of France and has done an excellent job transporting his native cuisine to a quiet corner of Cincinnati. These are the dishes that culinary Francophiles often crave, prepared in a straightforward, time-honored way. The short rib beef bourguignon is a cozy entrée that’s served over mashed potatoes with French baby carrots. It’s a warm, gentle reminder that French food can be convivial and affordable. 934 Hatch St., Mt. Adams, (513) 621-5822, lucabistro. com. Breakfast and lunch Wed–Sun, dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

101 Main St., Milford, (513) 831-2749, 20brix.com. Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$

TERANGA West African cuisine consists of mostly simple, home-style dishes of stews and grilled lamb with just enough of the exotic to offer a glimpse of another culture. Be prepared for a few stimulating sights and ﬂavors that warm from within. An entire grilled tilapia—head and all—in a peppery citrus marinade and served on plantains with a side of Dijon-coated cooked onions is interesting enough to pique foodie interest without overwhelming the moderate eater. Stews of lamb or chicken with vegetables and rice are a milder bet, and Moroccan-style couscous with vegetables and mustard sauce accompanies most items. The dining room atmosphere is extremely modest with most of the action coming from the constant stream of carryout orders. 8438 Vine St., Hartwell, (513) 821-1300, terangacinci. com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

FRENCH CHEZ RENÉE FRENCH BISTROT Based on American stereotypes of French food—that it’s elaborate, elitist, and expensive—one might expect Chez Renée to fall on the chichi side. Instead, it’s elegant in an everyday way, operating on the principle that it is better to excel at simplicity than to badly execute something complicated. The formula is not complex: Simple ingredients, generally fresh and from nearby, prepared without much fuss. Warmed brie is served with thyme, almonds, fruit, and bread, and the chicken risotto is served with creamy mushrooms. This is solid, tasty food, both approachable and well-executed. It’s well on its way to becoming, as a good bistrot should be, a neighborhood institution.

INDIAN AMMA’S KITCHEN Muthu Kumar Muthiah serves traditional southern Indian and Indo-Chinese vegetarian cuisine, but with a sizable Orthodox Jewish community nearby, Muthiah saw an opportunity: If he was going to cook vegetarian, why not also make it kosher? Muthiah prepares every item—from the addictively crunchy gobhi Manchurian, a spicy Chinese cauliﬂower dish, to the lemon pickle, tamarind, and mint sauces—entirely from scratch under the careful eye of Rabbi Michoel Stern. Always 80 percent vegan, the daily lunch buffet is 100 percent animal-product-free on Wednesdays. Tuck into a warm and savory channa masala (spiced chickpeas) or malai kofta (vegetable dumplings in tomato sauce) from the curry menu. Or tear into a crispy, two-foot diameter dosa (chickpea ﬂour crepe) stuffed with spiced onions and potatoes. 7633 Reading Rd., Roselawn, (513) 821-2021, cincinnati. ammaskitchen.com. Lunch buffet (all vegan on Wed) and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $

BRIJ MOHAN Order at the counter the way you might at a fast food joint, except the shakes come in mango and there’s no supersizing your mint lassi. The saag, full of cream in most northern Indian restaurants, is as intensely ﬂavored as collard greens in the Deep South—real Punjabi soul food. Tarka dal is spectacular here, the black lentils smoky from charred tomatoes and onions, and the pani puri, hollow fried shells into which you spoon a peppery cold broth, burst with tart cool crunch. Follow the spice with soothing ras malai, freshly made cheese simmered in thick almond-ﬂavored milk, cooled and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. 11259 Reading Rd., Sharonville, (513) 769-4549, brijmohancincinnati.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MC, V, DC, AMEX. $

COLETTE

At this “mostly French” restaurant, which occupies the former Zula space across from Washington Park, Chef Danny Combs has built a more laid-back home for his focused, pristine cooking. While there is classic bistro fare, like steak frites, on the concentrated menu, there are also less familiar but equally classic French dishes, like Icelandic Cod (caviar beurre blanc and wilted spinach on a toasted brioche) and the raviole du Dauphiné (comté with ricotta and brown butter). One can turn to the extensive drink menu (also “mostly French”) to ﬁnd a wine or cocktail to go with any dish on offer. Like Zula, Colette would function just ﬁne as a wine and cocktail bar, though we can’t imagine coming to a place this good and

Al-Posto is an upscale southern Italian spot that reﬂects the same commitment to quality ingredients and delicate preparation that made its predecessor Dear such a gem. Appetizers include classic sharables like marinated olives (prepared with orange zest, rosemary, and Calabrian chile) and burrata with grilled focaccia, but it’s the pasta (which can be ordered as an entrée or a ﬁrst course) that’s not to be missed. We recommend the cacio e pepe, a seemingly simple dish comprised of bucatini (similar to housemade spaghetti but thicker), black pepper, and a sharp pecorino Toscano. Since you’re probably wondering, “Al-Posto” roughly translates to “at the spot.” Located in the middle of Hyde Park Square, this eatery seems poised to become the culinary focal point of the neighborhood. 2710 Erie Ave., Hyde Park, (513) 321-2710, al-posto.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DC, DS. $$$$

CARMELO’S Every great Italian eatery needs its classic entrées, and this restaurant delivers. The 101-Layer Lasagna actually looks like it has 101 layers of pasta, cheese, and sauce. The shareable meatball appetizer—which consists of two enormous veal, pork, and beef meatballs that crumble with a little elbow grease—is the solution for diners craving a protein with their pasta. The oxtail ragu, with rich gravy-like osso buco ragu, incorporates subtle tomato and robust seasoning with the dish’s shredded meat and Parmesan. Portions are large, and the staff is ready to stow your leftovers the minute you raise the white ﬂag. Remember, there’s no shame in surrender. 434 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 287-4700, eatatcarmelos.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$

FORNO Cristian Pietoso’s second restaurant has all the bones of an upscale eatery, but the menu is infused with enough Italian soul to make nonna proud. In most instances, raving about a side of creamed corn wouldn’t bode well for the rest of the menu. Here, that side dish—kernels swimming in a pool of truffle-laced heavy cream that demands sopping up—is evidence that each component is purpose-driven. The “bone-in” pork chop Milanese, and the tagliatelle Bolognese with traditional beef and veal sauce are examples of the elevated, adventurous comfort food that Pietoso strives for. 3514 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park, (513) 818-8720, fornoosteriabar.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. $$$

NICOLA’S Chef/Restaurateur Cristian Pietoso carries on the legacy of his father, Nicola, who turned over the reins of the restaurant he opened in 1996. Any establishment paying this level of attention to detail—from the aged balsamic and lavender honey on the Italian cheese board to the staff’s wine knowledge—is going to put out special meals. Order an old favorite, by all means, but make sure you try something new, too. 1420 Sycamore St., Pendleton, (513) 721-6200, nicolasotr.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$$

NOCHE

233 Main St., Milford, (513) 428-0454, chezreneefrenchbistrot.com. Lunch Fri & Sat, dinner Wed–Sat. MCC. $$$

Top 10

AL-POSTO

I TA L I A N A TAVOLA In 2011, Jared Wayne opened A Tavola Pizza with two friends just as OTR was blowing up. A Ferrara pizza oven was ordered from Italy; Wayne, a skilled woodworker, built custom tables; and the menu was ﬂeshed in with trendy crowd-pleasers like charcuterie and craft cocktails. Fast-forward a decade. The OTR outpost is closed but the second location is still going strong in the ’burbs: A Tavola Madeira capitalizes on the menu from the Vine Street location, including the fresh and zesty artichoke pizza on a Neapolitan crust; gooey mozzarella-ﬁlled arancini, or risotto fritters; and the zucchini mozzarella. Wash down your small plates with a glass of crisp and grassy A Tavola Chianti or an ice-cold Pizza Lager (made in col-

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This restaurant’s setting embodies what Chef Alfio Gulisano set out to achieve: An elegant but approachable restaurant where pasta, cocktails, and conversation blend with ease. The bourbon wagyu brisket burrata, with its hand-pulled mozzarella filled with slow-braised wagyu brisket and topped with a drizzle of hot honey, is decadent yet disciplined. The short rib sliders, braised for five hours after a quick grill that locks in flavor, then packed within soft buns with provolone and garlic aioli, make them both familiar and refined. While Gulisano plays up creativity with the appetizers, pasta dishes stay closer to classic Italian roots. The prime tenderloin gnocchi, the pulled brisket BBQ ravioli, and the chicken picatta ravioli all have an abundance of richness without being too heavy. Gulisano’s cooking has always been rooted in heart and tradition, but at Noche the flavors of Argentina and Italy, once parallels in his life, now meet on the same plate. 701 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 261-6900, lasnoches.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$

PADRINO Billed as “Italian comfort food,” this sister restaurant to 20 Brix offers the classics (like lasagna and chicken carbonara) plus hoagies and meatball sliders, an impressive wine list, seasonal martinis, and a decadent signature appetizer—garlic knots, doughy buns smothered in olive oil and garlic. Best of all, the pizza sauce is made in-house, comprised of roasted tomatoes and basil so garden-fresh that one can’t help but wonder: If this is real pizza, what have we been eating all these years? 111 Main St., Milford, (513) 965-0100; 14 N. Grand Ave. Ft Thomas, (859) 957-4082, padrinoitalian.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

PEPP & DOLORES As with all of Thunderdome’s restaurants, you get a sense that they want to deliver a meal that satisfies many different kinds of people. The prices are reasonable, with pasta entrées about $15. The dishes are familiar in their flavors, but everything feels balanced, modulated and gradually perfected. There is lovely variety: the limone pasta is zippy with lemon and chili flakes, and just the right mixture of tart and creamy; and the heat in dishes like the eggplant involtini is just enough to wake up the sauce without overwhelming the flavor. The menu has a wealth of excellent vegetarian and pasta-alternative options. 1501 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 419-1820, peppanddolores.com. Lunch Fri–Sun, dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

PRIMAVISTA Besides offering the old-world ﬂavors of Italy, Primavista also serves up a specialty no other restaurant can match: a bird’s eye view of Cincinnati from the west side. The kitchen is equally comfortable with northern and southern regional specialties. Among the classics, nothing is more restorative than the pasta e fagioli, a hearty soup of cannellini, ditali pasta, and bacon. Most of the pastas are cooked just a degree more mellow than al dente so that they soak up the fragrant tomato basil or satiny cream sauces. On the desserts side, you’ll be hard-pressed to decide between the housemade tiramisu or bread pudding with caramel sauce, Marsala wine–soaked raisins, and cream. 810 Matson Pl., Price Hill, (513) 251-6467, pvista. com. Dinner Wed–Sun. MCC, DS. $$$ Top 10

SOTTO

There are certain books and movies that you can read or watch over and over. Eating at Sotto is a similar experience: familiar, but so profound and satisfying that there is no reason to ever stop. Unlike other restaurants, where the techniques are often elaborate and unfamiliar, the magic at Sotto happens right in front of you, using ordinary elements and methods. When you taste the results, though, you realize that some mysterious transmutation has taken place. The wood-ﬁred branzino with broccolini, matched with the warm, smoky taste of the Calabrian pepper, offers a ﬂavor that you could go on eating forever. From the texture of the chicken liver mousse to the citrusy lemon aioli on the tartare di fassone, most of the food has some added element of soulfulness. 118 E. Sixth St., downtown, (513) 822-5154, sottocincinnati.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$$$

SUBITO Focusing on Northern Italian cuisine, Subito carves out its own worthwhile place in the landscape. Most of the items on the menu—from pizza to various pastas—will be familiar, but there are delightful surprises, like the smoked grape crostini. This zingy dish is served with herb whipped goat cheese, apple, pecan, and maple agrodolce. Everything at Subito is done with intelligence and a light touch. 311 Pike St., downtown, (513) 579-3860, thelytleparkhotel.com/dining/subito. Breakfast and lunch seven days, dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$$$

VIA VITE Via Vite serves up crowd-pleasing entrées—including the Pietoso family Bolognese, over tagliatelle—right on

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WHERE TO EAT NOW

Fountain Square. This is where small touches add sophistication. Golf-ball-sized veal meatballs are heavy with lemon zest, an over-the-top comfort dish. The same applies to the bone-in short rib, served on top of a portini mushroom risotto. Braised lamb shank over polenta is a workhorse, and the ﬂavorful Faroe Island salmon with braised spinach and a picatta sauce is a delight.

transformative add-in is the mayu, or black garlic oil. Dripped on top of one of the subtler broths, it adds a deep, mushroom-y richness, with the hint of burned ﬂavor that makes barbecue so good. 220 W. 12th St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 9750706, zundootr.com. Lunch and dinner Tues– Sun. MCC. $$

520 Vine St., downtown, (513) 721-8483, viaviterestaurant.com. Dinner Mon–Sat. MCC, DS. $$$

J A PA N E S E ANDO

LOUNGIN’

Nostalgia Wine & Jazz Lounge will expand into its neighboring spaces on Vine Street in the Behlen building in Over-the-Rhine. The Black- and woman-owned establishment will add a catering kitchen, additional patio seating, and a dedicated listening room called “The B-Side.” Construction on the interior expansion is expected to be completed early next year.

You don’t go just anywhere to dine on uni sashimi (sea urchin) or tanshio (thinly sliced charcoalgrilled beef tongue). And when it’s on the menu, don’t overlook the buttery amberjack collar marinated in a Japanese citrus infused soy sauce and grilled over charcoal. Noodles are also well represented, with udon, soba, or ramen options available. Owners Ken and Keiko Ando always have something new, be it kamo negi maki (grilled duck breast stuffed with organic green onions) or one of their pastries (which rotate weekly), delicacies that you’ll be hard-pressed to ﬁnd in anywhere else, so dont’ forget to check out the specials. 11255 Reed Hartman Hwy., Blue Ash, (513) 9540041, andojapaneserestaurant.com. Dinner Tues–Sat. MCC, DS. $$$

KIKI Your best bet here is to share plates or simply order too much. Start with the edamame and the chicken karaage. The selection of sauces (from tare to ponzu to chili oil) makes each dish better. And, of course, the ramen is the main reason for visiting. The shio features pork belly and tea-marinated soft-boiled egg, but the kimchi subs in tofu and its namesake cabbage for the meat. Be sure to try something from the sushi bar which offers nigiri, sashimi, and roll options. 358 Ludlow Ave., Clifton, (513) 706-8902, kikicincinnati.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sat. MCC. $$

KYOTO Owner Jason Shi seems to know everybody’s name as he chats up diners, guiding them through the extensive sushi and sashimi menu. Four young sushi chefs, all part of Shi’s family, work at light speed behind the bar, a choreography backlit by rows of gleaming liquor bottles. Dinner proceeds with glorious chaos as a feisty Carla Tortelli–like server delivers one dish after another—combination of crab, ﬁsh, shrimp, scallop, and vegetable tempuras, a volcanic tower of chopped fatty tuna hidden inside overlapping layers of thin avocado slices, crispy chicken katsu with a mayo sauce,, and delicate slices of a samurai roll—all between shots of chilled sake. 12082 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Twp., (513) 583-8897, kyotousa.m988.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

ZUNDO RAMEN & DONBURI A stark contrast to Styrofoam cup soup, chef Han Lin’s ramens are a deep and exciting branch of cuisine, capable of subtlety, variation, and depth. The simplicity of the dish’s name hides a world of complexity. Zundo uses the traditional Japanese building blocks of ﬂavor—soy sauce, miso, sake, mirin—to create something freewheeling and time-tested. Most of its bowls of ramen come with a marinated soft-boiled egg half, roast pork, green onion, and a healthy serving of noodles. Each has a distinct identity, like the milky richness of the tonkotsu, the rich and buttery miso, or the light and faintly sweet shoyu ramen. A

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KOREAN RIVERSIDE KOREAN RESTAURANT Come for the jham bong—a seafood soup with flour noodles in a spicy broth with pork, shrimp, squid, mussels, and vegetables. Revered for its medicinal properties, the dinner-sized soup will leave your eyes glistening and your brow beaded with sweat. It’s a detox for your overindulgence, rejuvenation for when you’re feeling under the weather. Expect crowds on weekends. Expect too, that dozens of them have come for dolsot bibimbap, the hot stone pots filled with layers of rice, vegetables, meat or tofu, egg, and chili paste. Characterized by its electric color and addictive flavors, Riverside Korean’s version is a captivating bowl of heaven. 512 Madison Ave., Covington, (859) 291-1484, riversidekoreanrestaurant.com. Dinner Tues– Sun. MCC, DS. $$

MEDITERRANEAN

Top 10

PHOENICIAN TAVERNA

No matter how much restraint you go in with, meals at Phoenician Taverna quickly become feasts. There is just too much that’s good, and everything is meant to be shared. With fresh pita bread continuously arriving from the ovens, and a table of quickly multiplying meze (hummus, falafel, muhammara), there is a warmth and depth to the cooking that envelops you. With such traditional cuisine, you may think there isn’t much left to discover beyond simply executed classics prepared according to time-tested methods. But there are always new discoveries, like the tabbouleh with the hummus, mixed with a touch of harissa, or the smoky baba ghanoush spooned onto falafel. Phoenician Taverna keeps taking these classics a little further. 7944 Mason Montgomery Rd., Mason, (513) 770-0027, phoeniciantaverna.com. Dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

SANTORINI Steak, eggs, and homefries. Jumbo haddock sandwich with Greek fries. Chocolate chip hotcakes with bacon. Notice something wrong with this menu? Chicken Philly cheese steak sandwich with Olympic onion rings. Greek feta cheese omelette with a side of ham. Yep, it’s obvious: What’s wrong with this menu is that there’s nothing wrong with this menu. Santorini has diner standards, like cheeseburgers, chili ﬁve ways, and breakfast anytime, but they also make some Greek pastries in-house, like spanakopita and baklava. Best of both worlds. 3414 Harrison Ave., Cheviot, (513) 662-8080, santorinicincy.com. Breakfast and lunch seven days, dinner Tues–Fri. MCC. $

SEBASTIAN’S ANDY’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE In this lively joint with a burnished summer lodge interior of wood and stone, even the food is unrestrained: rough-cut chunks of charbroiled beef tenderloin, big slices of onion and green pepper turned sweet and wet in the heat, skewers of marinated and charbroiled chicken perched on rice too generous for its plate. 906 Nassau St., Walnut Hills, (513) 281-9791, andyskabob.com. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$$

CAFÉ MEDITERRANEAN Chef-driven Middle Eastern cuisine leans heavily on Turkish tradition here. The baba ghanoush uses seared eggplant, which adds a pleasant smokiness to the ﬁnal product. Börek is described as a “Turkish Egg Roll,” wrapping feta and fresh and dried herbs into phyllo dough and frying it lightly to brittle ﬂakiness. While there is a smooth, simple hummus on the menu, you should go for the classic sucuklu hummus, which is spiked with sujuk, a common beef sausage popular all over the Middle East. 3520 Erie Ave., East Hyde Park, (513) 871-8714, mediterranean-cafe.com. Lunch Mon–Sat, dinner seven days. MCC. $$

FILLO This modern Greek restaurant has a menu composed of mezedes, the small, shareable plates that serve as the binder to a great Greek meal. Take the saganaki, for example. True to Greek tradition, Fillo’s version is served without a tableside flambé. But what the dish lacks in spectacle, it makes up for in spectacular flavor. The layering of ingredients and flavors defines Fillo’s most filling entrée: moussaka. The classic dish appears on several local Mediterranean menus, but for pure comfort, Fillo’s combination of eggplant, potato, tomato-y beef ragu sauce, and béchamel can’t be beat. 1505 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 873-1995, fillomoderngreek.com. Dinner Wed–Sun. MCC. $$

Watch the rotating wheels of beef and lamb, and you understand how Greek food has escaped the American tendency to appropriate foreign cuisines. Sebastian’s specializes in gyros, shaved off the stick, wrapped in thick griddle pita with onions and tomatoes, and served with cool tzatziki sauce. Whether you’re having a crisp Greek salad with house-made dressing, triangles of spanakopita, or simply the best walnut and honey baklava this side of the Atlantic, they never miss a beat, turning more covers in the tiny restaurant on one Saturday afternoon than some restaurants do in an entire weekend. 5209 Glenway Ave., Price Hill, (513) 471-2100, sebastiansgyros.com. Brunch, lunch and dinner Mon–Sat. MCC. DS. $$

MEXICAN MAZUNTE Mazunte runs a culinary full-court press, switching up specials to keep both regulars and staff engaged. Pork tamales arrive swaddled in a banana leaf, the shredded pork filling steeped in a sauce fiery with guajillo and ancho chilies yet foiled by the calming sweetness of raisins. The fried fish tacos are finished with a citrusy red and white cabbage slaw that complements the accompanying mangohabañero salsa. With this level of authentic yet fastpaced execution, a slightly greasy pozole can be easily forgiven. Don’t miss the Mexican Coke, the margaritas, or the non-alcoholic horchata. 5207 Madison Rd., Madisonville, (513) 7850000, mazuntetacos.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC. $

NADA The brains behind Boca deliver authentic, contemporary, high-quality Mexican fare downtown. You’ll ﬁnd a concise menu, including tacos, salads and sides, large plates, and desserts. The Pork Al Pastor tacos, zesty with salsa verde and sweet ICON BY STEF HADIWIDJAJA

with grilled pineapple, are deﬁnite crowd-pleasers. If you’re biased against Brussels sprouts, Nada just might convert you. The crispy sprouts, served with chipotle honey and candied ancho pepitas, are a deliciously intriguing starter. 600 Walnut St., downtown, (513) 721-6232, eatdrinknada.com. Lunch Mon–Fri, dinner seven days, brunch Sat & Sun. MCC, DS. $$$

TAQUERIA MERCADO

On a Saturday night, Taqueria Mercado is a lively ﬁesta, with seemingly half of the local Hispanic community guzzling margaritas and cervezas or carrying out sacks of burritos and carnitas tacos—pork tenderized by a long simmer, its edges frizzled and crispy. The Mercado’s strip mall interior, splashed with a large, colorful mural, is equally energetic: the bustling semi-open kitchen; a busy counter that handles a constant stream of take-out orders; a clamorous, convivial chatter in Spanish and English. Try camarones a la plancha, 12 chubby grilled shrimp tangled with grilled onions (be sure to specify if you like your onions well done). The starchiness of the rice absorbs the caramelized onion juice, offset by the crunch of lettuce, buttery slices of avocado, and the cool-hot pico de gallo. A shrimp quesadilla paired with one of their cheap and potent margaritas is worth the drive alone. 6507 Dixie Hwy., Fairﬁeld, (513) 942-4943; 100 E. Eighth St., downtown, (513) 381-0678, taqueriamercado. com. Breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $

sary. The ﬁlet mignon, rib eye, and New York strip are cut to order for each table (there are a few available weights for each). The steaks themselves are totally irreproachable, perfectly seasoned, cooked to precisely the right point. Losanti even makes the steakhouse sides a little special. Sweet and smoky caramelized onions are folded into the mashed potatoes, a nice dusting of truffles wakes up the mac and cheese, and the sweet corn is at least freshly cut off the cob and recalls elote with lime and chile. 1401 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 246-4213, losantiotr.com. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$$

THE PRECINCT

Part of the appeal of the Ruby restaurants is their ability to deliver deep, comfort-food satisfaction. And the steaks. The meat is tender with a rich mineral ﬂavor, and the signature seasoning provided a nice crunch, not to mention blazing heat. The supporting cast is strong—the basket of warm Sixteen Bricks bread with a mushroom truffle butter, the addictive baked macaroni and cheese, the creamy garlic mashed potatoes, the crisp-tender asparagus with a fresh herb vinaigrette—and dinner ends on a sweet note with a piece of Ruby family recipe cheesecake. Neither cloyingly sweet nor overwhelmingly creamy, it’s a lovely slice of restraint. 311 Delta Ave., Columbia-Tusculum, (513) 321-5454, jeffruby.com/precinct. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$$$

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK’S

The daily rotation here reads like a ﬁsherman’s wish list: lobster tails from Australia and the North Atlantic, ahi tuna from Hawaii, clams from New England. But high-quality ingredients are only half the equation; preparation is the other. Herb-broth sea bass, served with roasted ﬁngerling potatoes, makes the taste buds dance. The spacious digs and attentive waitstaff bring a touch of class to Fountain Square and make it a sophisticated destination. 21 E. Fifth St., downtown, (513) 721-9339, mccormickandschmicks.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DC, DS. $$$

STEAKS CARLO & JOHNNY

The stars of the menu are 17 delectable steaks that could sway the vegi-curious to recommit. Not sure which to choose? If you prefer brawny ﬂavor over buttery texture, go for one of the three bone-in rib cuts. Or if it’s that meltin-your-mouth experience that raises your serotonin levels, C&J features several tenderloin cuts, including the premium six-ounce Wagyu ﬁlet. There are the usual suspects of seafood, lamb chops, et al, for non-beef alternatives. 9769 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery, (513) 936-8600, jeffruby.com/carlo-johnny. Dinner seven days. MCC. $$$$

JEFF RUBY’S

Filled most nights with local scenesters and power brokers (and those who think they are), everything in this urban steakhouse is generous—from the portions to the expert service. Waiters deliver two-ﬁsted martinis and mounds of greens dressed in thin vinaigrettes or thick, creamy emulsions. An occasional salmon or sea bass appears, and there’s a small but decent assortment of land fare. But most customers are there for the slabs of beef (dry aged USDA prime). The best of these is Jeff Ruby’s Cowboy, 22 ounces of 70-day dry-aged bone-in rib eye. This is steak tailor-made for movers and shakers. 505 Vine St., downtown, (513) 784-1200, jeffruby.com. Dinner seven days. MCC, DC. $$$$

LOSANTI

A bit more upscale than its sister restaurant, Crown Republic Gastropub, Losanti is also more conservative in its offerings. Service is friendly and informal, and though the meal feels like a special occasion, prices and atmosphere are right for, say, a date, rather than a wedding anniver-

1200 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 421-8325 ; 110 S. Second St., Loveland, (513) 583-8325, teakotr.com. Lunch and dinner Tues–Sun. MCC. $$

THAI NAMTIP

Classic Thai comfort food on the west side from chef/owner Tussanee Leach, who grew up with galangal on her tongue and sriracha sauce in her veins. Her curries reign: pale yellow sweetened with coconut milk and poured over tender chicken breast and chunks of boiled pineapple; red curry the color of new brick, tasting of earth at first bite, then the sharply verdant Thai basil leaves, followed by a distant heat. Tom Kha Gai soup defines the complex interplay of flavors in Thai food: astringent lemongrass gives way to pepper, then makrut lime, shot through with the gingery, herbaceous galangal, all yielding to the taunting sweetness of coconut. Even the simple skewers of chicken satay with Thai peanut sauce are dulcified by honey and dirtied up by a smoky grill. 5461 North Bend Rd., Monfort Heights, (513) 481-3360, thainamtip.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

WILD GINGER

TONY’S

SEAFOOD

main plates ranging from small bites to signature dishes, you have plenty of room to craft your own dining experience.

He is a captivating presence, Tony Ricci. Best known for his 30 years in ﬁne dining—including the Jeff Ruby empire while managing the venerable Precinct—Ricci has built a life in the hospitality industry. Much of Tony’s menu is right out of a steakhouse playbook: tiger shrimp and king crab legs from the raw bar; Greek and Caesar salads; sides of creamed spinach, mac-and-cheese, asparagus, and sautéed mushrooms; toppings of roasted garlic or Gorgonzola butters to accompany your center cut of ﬁlet mignon. There are boutique touches, though, that make it stand out—a garlic herb aioli with the calamari, steak tartare torch-kissed and topped with a poached egg, a superb rack of lamb with balsamic and lemon gastrique and served with traditional ratatouille. 12110 Montgomery Rd., Symmes Township, (513) 6778669, tonysofcincinnati.com. Dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$$$

The ability to satisfy a deep desire for Vietnamese and Thai fusion cuisine is evident in Wild Ginger’s signature Hee Ma roll—a fortress of seaweed-wrapped rolls filled with shrimp tempura, asparagus, avocado, and topped with red tuna, pulled crab stick, tempura flakes, a bit of masago, scallions, and of course, spicy mayo. It’s tasty, even though the sweet fried floodwall of tempura and spicy mayo overpowered the tuna completely. The spicy pad char entrée was a solid seven out of 10: broccoli, carrots, cabbage, succulent red bell peppers, green beans, and beef, accented with basil and lime leaves in a peppercornand-chili brown sauce. 3655 Edwards Rd., Hyde Park, (513) 533-9500, wildgingeroh.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS. $$

VI ETNAM E S E THAI

PHO LANG THANG

GREEN PAPAYA

Inside this simple dining room, replete with soothing browns and greens and handsome, dark wood furniture, it takes time to sort through the many curries and chef’s specialties, not to mention the wide variety of sushi on the something-for-everyone menu. Have the staff—friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable—help you. When the food arrives, you’ll need only a deep inhale to know you made the right choice. The Green Papaya sushi rolls are as delicious as they look, with a manic swirl of spicy mayo and bits of crabstick and crispy tempura batter scattered atop the spicy tuna, mango, cream cheese, and shrimp tempura sushi—all rolled in a vivid green soybean wrap. 2942 Wasson Rd., Oakley, (513) 731-0107; 4002 Plainville Rd., Mariemont, (513) 272-8424, greenpapayacincinnati.com. Lunch and dinner seven days (Oakley), Lunch and dinner Mon–Sat (Mariemont). MCC. $$

TEAK SUSHI & THAI

Owner Chanaka De Lanerolle has said that he decided to bring back Teak’s take on Thai food because of the renewed vibrancy in Over-the-Rhine, which he compared to the energy he felt in Mt. Adams during his time there. But for all of the hype around the restaurant’s re-emergence on the scene, it’s probably best to consider it a reimagining rather than a reopening. While long-time favorites show up on the menu, prepared by many of the same kitchen staff members from Mt. Adams, some adaptations have been made to better meet expectations of modern diners. Letting go of preconceived notions about Teak will serve you well. With a two-sided, standalone sushi menu and a wide variety of

Owners Duy and Bao Nguyen and David Le have created a greatest hits playlist of Vietnamese cuisine: elegant, brothy pho made from poultry, beef, or vegan stocks poured over rice noodles and adrift with slices of onions, meats, or vegetables (the vegan pho chay is by far the most ﬂavorful); fresh julienned vegetables, crunchy sprouts, and herbs served over vermicelli rice noodles (again, the vegan version, bun chay, is the standout); and bánh mì. Be sure to end with a cup of Vietnamese coffee. 1828 Race St., Over-the-Rhine, (513) 376-9177, pholangthang.com. Lunch and dinner seven days. MCC, DS, DC. $$

CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, (ISSN 0746-8 210), October 2026, Volume 60, Number 1. Published monthly ($19.95 for 12 issues annually) at 221 E. Fourth St., Ste. 130, Cincinnati, OH 45202. (513) 421-4300. Copyright © 2026 by Cincinnati Magazine LLC, a subsidiary of Hour Media Group, 5750 New King Dr., Ste. 100, Troy, MI 48098. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or reprinted without permission. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, and artwork should be accompanied by SASE for return. The magazine cannot be held responsible for loss. For subscription orders, address changes or renewals, write to CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071, or call 1-866-660-6247. Periodicals postage paid at Cincinnati, Ohio, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send forms 3579 to CINCINNATI MAGAZINE, 1965 E. Avis Dr., Madison Heights, MI 48071. If the Postal Service alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year.

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CINCY OBSCURA

Riddle of the Sphinx

AMONG 450 ACRES OF BURIALS AND HEADSTONES, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR ONE MEMORIAL

to stand out, but the Lawler Sphinx has been turning heads and courting controversy since 1850. Commissioned by businessman and Spring Grove Cemetery cofounder Davis B. Lawler, the monument honors his parents, Matthew—a former mayor of Philadelphia—and Anne. As an avid traveler and fan of Egyptology, Lawler chose the Sphinx to convey “an agnostic message that the future is unknowable,” says Spring Grove historian Debbie Brandt. “The strength of a lion with the beauty and dignity of a woman.” Many Queen City citizens and even some of Lawler’s cofounders objected to the monument’s “pagan” symbolism and “insult” to Christian sensibilities, yet it still stands as a unique landmark in the cemetery. — C L A I R E L E F T O N 1 3 6 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M O C T O B E R 2 0 2 6

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