Hey Bloggerfolk!
I’m back from a weekend trip to Cincinnati, a place I’m growing increasingly more and more fond of. Strange to think I would be feeling this way about a place in Ohio, but it’s true! And it’s great! I’d briefly seen the city on a trip to King’s Island but was excited to really experience it - and in two PACKED days some friends and I really took in all the city had to offer! History, kitsch, animals - what more could you want from a city?! At the American Sign Museum we admired the graphic design of decades past under the neon glow - the craftsmanship was so impressive! Makes our modern cityscapes feel cheap. And makes me even more repulsed by current digital signage… check out those bubbly plastic letters!
It felt like I was living in an article of the Retrologist (which I very much recommend if you’re into 20th century Americana!)
While looking for things to do after lunch, I was delighted to discover that Union Terminal - a place I’ve been researching for months as part of an upcoming project, is located in Cincinnati! It’s an incredible example of art deco design - and aside from the missing train terminals, it really does look much like it did in the 1930s. I’d gathered numerous pictures of this place online, so to actually be there in person was a big treat. Especially since scale is such a feature of the place. This was a niche, but very special highlight of the trip for me, and even if you aren’t a freak about art deco/civic design the building houses Cincinnati’s museums (which we’ll have to do on a future trip! Yep, we went here JUST to enjoy the art deco. Glad my friends are willing to put up with my artistic obsessions!)
This is a waiting area for a restroom, and it’s beautiful! I believe that’s the original mural too.
Overall, Cincinnati is a city that seems to have more historical buildings than it knows what to do with - there’s whole blocks of beautiful, ornate facades which are entirely boarded up and out of use. Some of the roughest areas of town are still graced by the aesthetic eye of an earlier century. A stark juxtaposition, but one that promises hope, and is surely better than a cheap, modern building in a similar situation. I was stunned by how well these buildings were preserved - likely a joint effort of concerned citizens and a sluggish market and gentrification engine. Either way, I was excited to see so many old architectural relics, something hard to find in a city as new as Nashville.
We enjoyed some drinks at Carabello’s exquisite coffee bar (yes, they served coffee in a cone!),
and enjoyed the kitsch and exotic foods of Jungle Jim’s. Jungle Jim’s was one of the main reasons I wanted to return to the city - it’s just so eccentric and oddly nostalgic!
After packing so much into day 1, we spent most of day 2 at the Cincinnati Zoo, where I was impressed by the number of animals and the numerous, well-themed dark-room habitats and aquariums. Many of these exhibits feel like a crafted experience, where you move from a greenhouse, to an indoor viewing area, to a museum all in the same area. There’s so much to see at the Cincinnati Zoo, and despite the confusing park layout and crowds we got to see most of it. Highlights were the painted dogs, potto, leaf cutting ants, and fennec fox. Lots of impressive big cats too, who liked to lounge in very visible sections of their habitats (unlike our local tiger at the Nashville Zoo…) I had really hoped to see Fiona the celebrity hippo, and while she probably was one of the three hippos they had out on display, I had no way to identify her, which felt anti-climatic.
We stayed late in Cincinnati that day so we could attend a dinner theater - which I loved. It looked like all the supper clubs I’ve seen in old 1940s movies, with low-lit tables surrounding the center stage. In addition to the fun of watching a great musical from your table, the cast and crew were especially gracious. The whole cast came out after the show to greet guests in the atrium - a very kind gesture from people who are acting their hearts out to audiences in the middle of Ohio. I’m always impressed by artists who really do care for their audience - and the people at La Comedia do that well!
We got back to Nashville suuuuper late but felt so satisfied with such a fun, absolutely packed weekend with good people. After such a bummer of a year so far it was great to have a weekend of nonstop fun! Thanks to Parker, Olivia, Olivia's family, and Sydni for humoring my outsized interest to see Cincinnati and for making it a great trip!
Thanks for reading, and until next time,
-dh!
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