LINK Streetscapes: Dixie Highway in Park Hills

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BY MARIA HEHMAN | LINK nky CONTRIBUTOR

Iwrote about the food offered on part of Dixie Highway earlier this year in my hometown, Fort Mitchell. Since Dixie Highway runs the gamut of Northern Kentucky, I got on the highway again and headed to Park Hills.

Park Hills has become one of the most popular cities in Northern Kentucky in recent years. With a location close to downtown Covington and Cincinnati, while also a short drive from other hubs of Northern Kentucky, it’s truly one of the best.

For years, the businesses here were staples to the people of Park Hills. As the region expands, these spots are becoming staples in the hearts of those beyond Park Hills’ limits.

So, if you find yourself passing through or in need of a new stop in the old routine, these are the must-visit eateries of the city for Dixie Highway travelers.

Reality Tuesday Café: 1518 Dixie Highway, Park Hills non-coffee drinkers, and worth the cult following it has earned.

If you need a treat with your tea time, Reality Tuesday’s pastries are always decadent and worth the extra indulgence. This shop’s scones and muffins are half the reason I love to visit, and it’s a personal family favorite for treats on special occasions.

Reality Tuesday goes beyond snack-size treats to specialize in cakes, pies and cheesecakes as well, available to order ahead for events or just because.

The café also has a small breakfast and lunch menu of sandwiches, salads and soups – each freshly made and the perfect way to curb a hangry mood.

This is a place I visit often, and I have never been disappointed in either the service or the coffee. Traci, the owner, seems to know everyone who walks through her door and it’s clear that she instills positivity and kindness in all of her employees.

Honestly, what more could you ask for in a hometown coffee shop and bakery?

Finke’s Pub: 1458 Dixie Highway, Park Hills television. Finke’s Pub is the spot where friends meet, and someone says, “The next round’s on me.”

Hole-in-the-wall bars are so underappreciated.

There are no other bars within walking distance, so it’s not a place for bar hopping. I’ve never enjoyed going from place to place for overpriced drinks with a copy-and-paste atmosphere. I’d much rather spend the night in one spot with good company.

DECEMBER 3RD, 2022 10AM-12PM

9th and Monmouth St Newport, KY

Reality Tuesday has my favorite coffee of all time. I’ve mentioned them in a college edition of Streetscapes, but they deserve a second shout-out as they carry some of the tastiest treats and morning brews around.

My go-to order here is always a vanilla iced coffee. They carry pebble ice, which any cold beverage connoisseur knows is the elite ice form.

Although my favorite drinks here are all coffee-based, they are regionally famous for the best chai tea. It’s a great option for

When I was young, fun and frequented bars, my friends always wanted to go to the major bar scenes in Cincinnati. Maybe even in my early 20s, I was an old soul, but I hated going to Cincinnati for a drink. The places were crowded, loud, and parking is impossible. Taking an Uber from NKY costs more than the drinks, too.

I was first brought to Finke’s Pub by my cousin. Recognized by the bartender, he grabbed her a Bud Light as soon as she walked in. The drinks were cold and all under $5, which is what it should be at a bar. They have your typical bar games like darts, and professional and college sports on every TV.

The patio offers a space for those more interested in the company than what’s on

Streetscapes doesn’t normally feature stops beyond food and drink hubs, but with the festive season fast approaching, we get the sense that readers may be craving a chance to keep the extra holiday helpings from expanding their waistlines.

The classes are all bootcamp-style, mixing strength and cardio for maximum gains.

The classes cap out at 14, so you still get an individualized approach either way. If you’re like me and don’t love a group environment, it’s a great way to start on a fitness journey and you’ll be happy you chose this encouraging studio to do so.

Whether you’re passing through Park Hills or making a planned stop, these are places that you have to check out – each of them offering a glimpse into the fabric of the Park Hills community and each worth visiting time and time again.

Have a city, street, or business you want me to check out next? Email me at mcheh man@gmail.com and it could be featured on the next installment of LINK streetscapes.

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Notre Dame Volleyball wins 10th state title

The Notre Dame Pandas came into the state volleyball tournament finishing the regular season 21-1 against Kentucky teams, winning 20 in a row after dropping the second game of the season against Sacred Heart.

Notre Dame faced Assumption in the semifinals. The Louisville power has 22 state titles to its history, the only program with more than Notre Dame. The Pandas had not beaten Assumption in the state tournament since the 1994 state semifinals.

They came through with a 3-2 (25-15; 22-25; 21-25; 25-22; 15-7) victory. That ended a run of 10-straight Assumption state tournament wins in the series including the 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2007, and 2013 state championship games.

Seniors on the high school team are not looking ahead to playing at the college level.

NKU men’s basketball opens season with loss

The Northern Kentucky Norse men opened their basketball season with a loss against the Kent State Golden Flashes,who are picked to win the Mid-American Conference.

NKU hit a dry spell in the early game, missing their first 10 shots. The Norse men made a comeback by halftime but still trailed 32-29. They finished 79-57. After the game, Coach Darrin Horn said he knew the game would be a challenge, given Kent State’s physicality and depth. He said the team lacked aggressiveness and looked ahead to the next matchup with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats for a win.

Boone County football legend inducted into Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor

Former Northern Kentucky football standout Shaun Alexander was recently inducted into the Seattle Seahawks Ring of Honor.

The Seahawks honored Alexander during half time in a mid-October game. A native of Florence, Alexander starred at Boone County High School from 1991 to 1994, rushing for 3,166 yards and logging a state record 54 touchdowns.

Alexander is considered to be one of the greatest prep football players in Kentucky high school football history. The KHSAA record books credit Alexander with 6,662 career rushing yards and 110 touchdowns. He was awarded the 1994 Kentucky Mr. Football Award, and later committed to the University of Alabama.

He went on to star as a running back becoming one of the Crimson Tide’s marquee players of the 1990s. At Alabama, he rushed for 3,565 career yards and had 49 total touchdowns. He was named the 1999 SEC Player of the Year. He was drafted to the Seahawks in 2000, where he holds franchise records such as team rushing attempts (2,176), rushing yards (9,429), rushing touchdowns (100), total touchdowns (112), single-game rushing attempts (40), single-game rushing yards (266), single-game rushing touchdowns (4) and longest rush (88T). He’s eighth all time in NFL history for rushing touchdowns.

NKY sports hall of fame takes new inductees

The Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame recently inducted five new members in a ceremony held on Nov. 16.

Inductees included former Ludlow High School athlete and coach of 39 years Kelley Baugh; Mike Tussey, a local voice for games at Northern Kentucky and Thomas More universities; David Chalk, a Newport Central Catholic valedictorian, Cornell University Scholar-Athlete, and star in in football, wrestling, and track; local coach Harvey Benge, who founded Bellevue’s youth football program and raised thousands for local charities through the teams he led; and Nick Benge, a 19-year coach at Calvary Christian, Dixie Heights, and Lockland. He now coaches the boys tennis at Beechwood High School.