Welcome to the Jungle!

Where can you feast on a lunch of fresh smoked salmon sushi under a giant, pink elephant head?  Where can you watch the enormous can of Campbell’s Soup enjoy a good time on a giant swing?  What other grocery brings shoppers in to shop, in a tour bus?  It can only be Jungle Jims!

Jungle Jim’s location is 5440 Dixie Highway (Route 4) in Fairfield, but going there feels like a shopping vacation!  Depending on where you live in the Greater Cincinnati area, it can be a bit of a drive.  From Milford or Eastgate,   it’s about 30 – 35 minutes.  From points in Mason, it will be perhaps 20 – 30 minutes.  If you live in the Hyde Park, Mt Lookout area, again, about 30 minutes.  But seriously. What else do you have to do on your day off? Laundry? Wash the floors? Nope….plan a trip to the Jungle.

The lively animated characters will entertain the kids, and the food selection will knock your socks off.  We can take a ½ hour just looking at the cheese selections. As Jungle Jim’s boasts over 1400 cheese selections in just the International Cheese section alone, before you even hit the deli, you can see why we get stalled! The bakery is just painful to enter if you have a sweet tooth.  So many dessert options. So little time.  There is an outstanding deli of course.  Select one or two of the overwhelming number of delicious prepared salads to enhance your main course.  There is a Natural Foods section, International Foods, and fresh Seafood.   You just have to go.

Soup on a swing? Why not!

We had our smoked salmon sushi lunch, and were treated to a complimentary taste of the hot cider.  We found the free samples of an outstanding fresh antipasto, and then tried the sample of whipped salmon mouse on a flat pretzel. Yes, if you are lucky, you can graze your way through the store.  Saturday and Sunday are the big sample days. 

There are more than just groceries here of course.  The Shasta store is fun. As in “She Hasta Have That”. Clever. If you have errands to run, there is a bank, post office and pharmacy to help check those chores off the list.  Be sure to check out the 2009 America’ Best Bathroom award winner.  I don’t generally recommend any particular locations “comfort station”.  Just trust me on this one.

There isn’t enough room here to discuss this place. I haven’t even mentioned the monorail, the humidor or the wine selection. Visit their site for all the latest information, including cooking school information and the online flyer of weekly specials.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

•  Check out the Party at Sawyer Point. Wednesdays –Tonight, July 1, it’s Red, White & Rock Night, with Prizoner. July 15th,  It’s Reggae Night with Super-Massive.

• July 3 – Head up to Mason, Corwin Nixon Park. Huey Lewis and the News
• July 3 – All Star Comedy Tour – P & G Hall, at the Aronoff Center
 
• July 6 – Hear Counting Crows a the PNC Pavilion. Also at the PNC Pavilion this month:
        July 8 – Stone Temple Pilots….I can never get enough “Spoon Man”. A great song to run to!
        July 21 – Pull out the black leather, it’s Judas Priest.
        July 28 – A little too much metal?…then how about Jackson Browne
• July 8 – I have to see this again! The Musical of Musicals at the Showboat Majestic. If you like an intimate theatre setting where you feel like you can just reach out and be part of the show, you have to go to the Showboat Majestic. This great production will be a wonderful introduction to the fun of the Majestic!
• July 10 -12 – St. Rita Fest at 1720 Glendale-Milford. One of this area’s most popular fund-raising festivals. Come on out! A good time for a good cause!
The following events don’t even begin to tell you all there is to do at Jungle Jim’s, the Foodie’s Paradise! Check this out:
July 4 – John Sebastian in concert! Formerly of Lovin’ Spoonful, but better known by an entire generation as the guy that sang “Welcome  Back”, as in Welcome Back Kotter.
July 11 – Wine tasting & Celebration: Benefiting the Shayne Graham Foundation. VIP Reception at 6 with Food, Music & Celebrity Guests
July 24 – Have you been to DaVeed’s in Mt Adams? NO! You must go! It’s “special occasion” prices, but truly one of the most outstanding meals I’ve ever had.  David Cook, the chef with an impressive history in Greater Cincinnati culinary circles, will guest chef!
Be sure to check out http://www.junglejims.comfor more information, times, reservations and costs.

Everyone loves summer food!

There is ALWAYS something happening at Jungle Jims!

• July 14 – Broadway Across America presents “Mamma Mia!” at the P & G Hall, Aronoff Center. Go ahead, belt out  “Dancing Queen”. You know you want to!
• July 16 – Live at the Levee, with the Menus. Newport on the Levee
• Pack up the Family and head to a Reds Game. Buy the $5 “Cheap Seats” for an economical night out. There isn’t a bad seat in the place! Check out their schedule here
• July 18 – Head to a Dive-in Movie at the Beach Waterpark. “Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa” is showing
• July 18 – Can’t make it to the Beach? No problem….try the Saturday Night at the Movies on Fountain Sq. “Free Willy’ & “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” will be playing
• July 22, 24 & 26 – Ready for a little culture after splashing in the pool and hanging out at the movies? Try the opera “Carmen”, at Music Hall
• You’ll find Fourth of July events and fireworks around town here. Get the lawn chairs and soft drinks….it’s time for the show! Check out the list here, and enjoy!

Red,White & Boom!

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• Thomas & Friends – June 10 & 11, Bank of Kentucky Center, NKU
• Riverbend Music Center has a great line up for June:
June 4 – Coldplay, June 12 – Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion, June 16 – Dave Matthews Band, June 19 – Brad Paisley, June 20 – 311, and June 27 – Oh yea, they’re back! It’s The New Kids on The Block.

• Milford Ohio Kicks off the Summer with the 47th Annual Frontier Days! June 4 – 7. The parade starts at 6:30 on Thursday June 4th. Enjoy Food, Games, Lawn Mower Races, Karaoke Contest and the Big Chicken Dinner. Check out the official Frontier Days site for more information!

• At the PNC Pavilion at Riverbend The Offspring play June 24
• Broadway Across America Presents “A Chorus Line” at the Aronoff Center through June 7
 
• Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra – June 18, Music Hall. Featuring the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• Playhouse in the Park presents “Marry Me a Little” – Through June 14. In the Thompson Shelter house.  Songs by Stephen Sondheim. “What can you do on a Saturday night alone?” These and other meaningful questions answered comically and musically here!
• There is ALWAYS something happening at Jungle Jims! The following events aren’t necessarily “kid friendly”, but mom & dad need an afternoon off too!  Here are few things to check out:
June 19, 7 – 10 pm it’s Beerfest!  What true Cincinnatian, or soon to be Cincinnatian, would pass on the “native” refreshment?
June 13, France vs. USA. Wine Tasting 1 – 3 p.m.
June 20, “Rhone Style” Wine Tasting 1 – 3 p.m.
June 27, The “Not to Miss” Event….Battle of the Bands Wine Tasting Event! Ten of the Top Suppliers will be on Hand Vying for Your Vote as “The Best”
Be sure to check out www.junglejims.com for more information, times, reservations and costs.

• Kevin Pollack – June 18 & 20 Special Engagement! Funny Bone Comedy Club. Newport on the Levee
• “Junk in the Trunk” Sale in Lebanon. June 6. Interfaith Hospitality Network of Warren County Hosts at Lebanon Jr. High. Call 934-5250 for more information
• Pack up the Family and head to a Reds Game. Buy the $5 “Cheap Seats” for an economical night out. There isn’t a bad seat in the place! June 5 – 7 the Reds hot the Chicago Cubs. June 16 – 21, there’s a 6 day home stretch. The Reds host the Atlanta Braves & the Chicago White Socks. Let’s see if they can stay in the run for 1st place!
• June is a big month for church and school festival fundraisers. Link to Local12.com for a complete list.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

Columbia – Tusculum can boast having some of the most amazing Victorians in Cincinnati, 2 and 3 stories high, with Palladian windows, stained glass, leaded glass, stone steps, and wrought iron fences.  While being home to some of the area’s most gorgeous, 100+ year old renovated Victorians, there are still some “diamonds in the rough”.  If you are up to a renovation project, this might be a good place to explore.

Other housing styles are available in the area.  There are contemporary styles with breathtaking river views, and upscale, luxury condos with high end finishes. The best in urban chic!  Many enjoy a 10 year tax abatement.  There is some new construction, or newer built homes:  upscale, with all the fine appointments you would expect.

Columbia-Tusculum is just 10 minutes to Hyde Park Plaza, and  15 minutes to Rookwood Commons.  Residents enjoy Alms Park, for the kids play area, walking trails, for communing with nature, all overlooking the Ohio River. Close by is Lunken Airport, first established as a barnstorming airport just after WW1, now serves as a landing for private planes. Neighboring Lunken Fields is available for tennis, golf, baseball, roller blading and jogging.  Columbia Square is rapidly under construction, with new opportunities for office space, retail and restaurants.  Recently, Anytime Fitness and Bruegger’s Bagels entered the square.

Catch up with all the happenings at the official Columbia-Tusculum web site.

Ready for a night out?  Meet up with your friends at any of these great places:

Allyn’s Café – Since 1991! This is “the place” in Columbia-Tusculum. Awards include Best Beer, Best Café, Best Mexican, Best Booth at the Taste of Cincinnati, Best Gator….yes, as in alligator.

Bella Luna- Authentic Italian from the Sicily & Calabria regions. Excellent!

The Precinct – One of my personal favorites. Special occasion food, and special occasion prices. Special, unless you are one of the local sports stars, power players, and celebrities in the room (we saw Jane Seymour last year). When only the best selection and quality seafood or steaks will do.

Stanley’s Pub – Sorry, no link. Just good live music, a bit of a dive, and a very good time. Outdoor patio for warm weather enjoyment , and a pool table. Have fun!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

Eastgate, a section of the larger area also known as Union Township, is a prime candidate for continued growth. Development and re-development of existing retail space is a wise investment for both independent and “big-box” retailers. The Eastgate Mall expects a new anchor to take up residence on the sight of the former National Amusement Cinemas drawing even more customers to the area. Eastgate boasts relatively impressive demographics.  Approximately 11,500 households with yearly incomes $50,000 + are located within a 3 mile radius of Union Township.  The demand for new and upscale retail is palpable!

Successful because of the wide open land, with opportunities for commercial, small business, healthcare, housing and entertainment, there is still room to grow. Of course, with all the growth, comes traffic! The Eastgate corridor will soon be undergoing a “facelift”, to ease congestion.

A couple of the reasons that so many people want to explore the homes for sale in Union Township is for it’s convenient proximity to downtown Cincinnati, CVG, Lunken Airport and Clermont County airport. There is a variety of housing: comfortable starter homes to luxury home price points. The popular Polo Fields and Lexington Run are “must explore” pool communities for many incoming buyers.  Mature, treed neighborhoods with rolling terrain, and friendly neighbors, like Deer Valley, English Creek or Surrey Ridge, invite homebuyers to enjoy custom, quality built homes in the $200,000 – $300,000 price range, approximately 15 – 20 years old.  Many of the homes boast walkout basements, and wooded lots.

Meeting the demand for a variety of housing, new town homes are being offered in Wetherby Farms, along with quaint, single family homes designed to transport you back to “yester-year” with front porches, private rear patios, and garages accessed from rear alleys.

Ivy Trails straddles both Clermont and Hamilton counties, and offers both grand, upscale custom built luxury homes, and a Life-Style section. In the Life-Style section, the homes are smaller, but not wanting for a single, beautiful amenity!

Residents of Union Township enjoy a wonderful park system. Clepper Park and Veteran’s Park are just two of the area’s out door playlands. Ballgames, picnics, trails, fishing lakes….all to enjoy! The Cincinnati Nature Center’s Rowe Woods is also located in Union Township.

 The Union Township/ Eastgate areas are served by the West Clermont Schools.  West Clermont embraced the small school concept in 2002. High school students may attend either Glen Este High, or Amelia High, as they choose, based on the student’s interests. Ten small schools, 5 at Amelia, 5 at Glen Este, were established in 10  course studies as:

• School for World Studies
• School for Creative Arts and Design
• School for Business and Technology
• School for Applied Health Sciences 

Are you ready to learn more about properties for sale in the Union Township area? Just let us know.  The realtors with The RealCincy Group of RE/MAX Unlimited would be glad to provide you with homes available now, that just might tempt you to the area!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

The contest is centered on “Cincinnati Trivia” and every customer who plays is a winner!  You’ll claim either an instant-win food prize or a discount on a Cincinnati-style chili T-shirt. As any true Cincinnati-style chili consumer knows, you want your chili the way you want it! Order your 5-way, 4-way no onions, cheese coney “no mo”, that means no mustard for those of you new to the area still learning “chili-speak”. You can order your winning t-shirt to match your order preference. Who wouldn’t wear that proudly? :) Check out www.chilitownusa.com to see what I mean.
 
The grand prize winner will win a year of free family entertainment at Greater Cincinnati’s top attractions. The grand prize package, valued at more than $3,325, includes:
 
• Family memberships to the Newport Aquarium, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Nature Center, Reds Hall of Fame,  and the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
• Two tickets to three Cincinnati Bengals games during 2009
• Four tickets to the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway
• Four tickets to the Five Show Series: The Marx Theatre Package at Playhouse in the Park
• Season ticket four-pack for the Northern Kentucky University Basketball season at the Bank of Kentucky Center
• A family four-pack to the Nutcracker at the Cincinnati Ballet
• A family four-pack to The Beach Waterpark and Kings Island
• A family four-pack for the Florence Freedom 2009 season
• Plus other additional great surprises

Those are great prizes! So get over to the Gold Star nearest you and play. You just might learn a thing or two about your hometown, or “adopted” home town, and win a little something along the way. Check out www.goldstarchili.com for more information.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

 Spring has arrived!

• Paula Deen – April 8. Cintas Center, Xavier University
• Tom  Foss – April 9. Funny Bone Comedy Club. Newport on the Levee
• Drew Hastings – April 15. Go Bananas Comedy Club…that should be a good show!
• Kings Island – April 18th……Opening Day….!
• Queen City Barbie Doll Club Show & Sale – April 19. Holiday Inn, Sharonville. I know my girls would have loved this when they were little!
• Sesame Street Live: When Elmo Grows Up – April 23 – 26. Bank of Kentucky Center
• Butterfly Show – April 18 – June 21. Krohn Conservatory

Such a welcome sight

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

• Getting ready for the boys of summer! Spring training is underway. Get ready for the Reds winning 2009 season with a  visit to the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame & Museum. Downtown. Free admission for active military & veterans   
• Take advantage of the last days of the skiing & snowboarding season while you can at Perfect North Slopes. Close to Greater Cincinnati in Lawrenceburg, IN
• Restaurant Week starts March 16th! This is a great value! March 16 -22, you can visit 29 locally owned restaurants and take advantage of a 3 course prix-fixe dinner for $26.09. Enjoy Andy’s Mediterranean Grille, Behle Street Café, Bella Luna, Tink’s Café ( a favorite of mine), Brown Dog Café  (another one of my favorites) Chalk Food & Wine, China Gourmet, Pompilios, Nicholson’s ( I love this place)  and plenty more! Get more information here!
• Timon of Athens. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Through March 22. Here’s the Story: frozen credit markets, corrupt government officials, bankruptcy, foreclosures, extravagant spending by the “haves” and the expense of the “have not’s”. Sound familiar? Set in 1607, not 2009, you’ll wonder how mankind has not learned a lesson or two. 
• The Aronoff hosts the Cincinnati Ballet’s production of Sinatra Suite+ More. New to Cincinnati, this show brings classy to meet classic.  March 27 – 28
• Playhouse in the Park presents “The Foreigner” starting March 10th. A shy Englishman pretends to not understand English while staying in a rural lodge in Georgia. Of course, those around him assume they are free to speak and scheme….and it only gets funnier from there. Go see the show and have a good laugh
• You can’t go wrong with Cooking School at Jungle Jims. The following list is just a short example of the cooking classes available this month at Jungle Jims:
March 9 – Knife Skills
March 14 – Wine & Food Class: Italian Style
March 10 – Guest Chef Molly Steven works with Best American Recipes
March 23 – Guest Chef Justin Dumcum features Cooking with Spirits
March 24 – Beer & Food Class: England’s Fun, Food, and Best Brews
March 26 – A Greek Easter Feast
For more information and to see the other class offerings this month go to the Jungle Jim’s site.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

I grew up thinking “chili” as in “Tex-Mex” or Texas style chili. A big ole’ bowl of chili pepper spiced ground beef, onions, kidney beans, tomatoes. Pile on the cheese and hot peppers. When I was about 11 years old and needed to earn my Girl Scout Cooking Badge, I flipped through my mom’s circa 1960’something Betty Crocker cookbook, and found a recipe I thought my family would go for.  Chili-ghetti it was called. Basically, make the beef, beans and onion tomato-based sauce, and serve it on spaghetti. It was a hit, even with my twerp little brothers.

When I first move to Cincinnati in 1988, a co-worker suggested Skyline for lunch. I wrongly assumed it would be similar to the Chili-ghetti I so proudly served.  She warned me that most people don’t like it at first. I didn’t. “You have to try it a second time” she said, “… it takes getting used to.”  She was right. I’m hooked.

Now, for something different: Cincinnati-style chili.

Don’t think Tex-Mex, think Greek.  Cincinnati style chili recipes are all based on what might be considered a Greek version of spaghetti.  Spices like cinnamon, cloves, and rumors of chocolate, are woven into the closely guarded secret recipes of each of Cincinnati’s old chili parlors.  Pile the chili on a hot dog or spaghetti, serve with soda crackers and hot sauce, and you now have a regional delicacy!  Cincinnati is the Chili Capital of the World, with bragging rights to more chili parlors per capita than anywhere else you will ever live.

You need to learn the lingo if you’re going to be mistaken as a Cincinnati native.  A 3-way is the sauce, spaghetti and generous heap of cheddar cheese.  A 4 – way: sauce, spaghetti, cheese, and your choice of beans or onion.  A 5-way is the base, plus onions and beans. Definitely my favorite. Hot sauce and soda crackers are a must.  Of course, the sauce can be found in burritos, on salads,  or on top of hot dogs then topped with cheese.  (I watched Randy eat 4 of those one day, I promise) A Greek salad with feta cheese and kalamata olives makes a great side too.

 By the way, you don’t “twirl” the spaghetti, you cut. I don’t know, it’s some kinda’ rule. Rule breakers will be quickly admonished by the seasoned Cincinnati-style chili connoisseur.

A couple of the most popular chains are Skyline and Gold Star.  Skyline Chili opened in 1949. The first restaurant strategically overlooked the Cincinnati skyline. Skyline products can be found in groceries and Skyline Dip is a staple at “bring an appetizer” parties all over town.  Gold Star Chili was opened in 1965 by 4 brothers who scraped together $1200 to open their first restaurant, Hamburger Heaven, in the Mt Washington area. On the menu was their Greek inspired chili. They “tweaked” the recipe until they had a hit. The brothers renamed the store Gold Star and opened 2 more restaurants within the year!

Independent or small chain parlors are a hit here too.  Price Hill Chili is a west side landmark, family owned.  Big specialty sandwiches, tasty appetizers, and salads are on the menu. But it’s all about the chili that gives this Cincinnati establishment its name.

Pleasant Ridge Chili is known for its late night dining. Open until the unreasonable hour of 4:30 am, you know they are competing for the attention of the White Castle and all night pancake house crowd. They probably win.

Empress Chile has 3 locations, including one in Alexandria, Ky. On the Ohio side of the river, you’ll find Empress on Vine Street and Rapid Run Road.  Milk shakes, good looking salads, and a popular baked potato entry topped with the sauce. I can’t say I’ve been to Empress, but I hear nothing but good things. Give it a try in my stead.

Randy raves about Dixie Chili.  Established in 1929, “Papa Nick” opened Newport, Kentucky’s first chili parlor. Remember the lingo? 3 –way, 4-way, etc?  At Empress, they offer a 6 – way that include chopped garlic. I’m willing to bet that’s good.

Now my favorite: Blue Ash Chili. Established in 1969, this chili parlor is like entering a ‘50’s diner complete with celebrity photos and the tempting desserts under glass on the counter. Have the carrot cake. Our office is close enough to Blue Ash Chili that whenever we have a team meeting of The RealCincy Group, we look for an excuse to make it a late lunch or early dinner at Blue Ash Chili.  Their 6 –way adds jalapenos to the 5-way base. Incredible! The double and triple decker sandwiches could feed a small army. They have a gyro served on a grilled pita with onion, tomato and tzatziki sauce that I want to try. Problem is, I can’t go in there and NOT get a 5 –way or 6-way. What’s a girl to do?  Be sure to play the Spin to Win game on their website. Maybe you’ll win a freebie.

There are small, local parlors dotted throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. No doubt, wherever you decide to live in the area, there will be a Cincinnati-style chili parlor right around the corner. Give it a try. Then try it a second time….it’s take some getting used to.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

• Gem of the Ocean – Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Over the Rhine. February 4 – 22
• Lily Tomlin- An Evening of Classic, at The Aronoff Center. February 6
• The Foods Lincoln Liked. Pay honors to Presidents Day at Jungle Jim’s International Market. February 9
• Grass Roots: African Origins of an American Art. Honor Black History Month at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. February 11
• Frontiers Journey Tribute! Get your ticket here Bogarts, February 13. Don’t Stop Believe’n!
• Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens has a Wild About Winter Program. February 16
• Ben Folds – Cintas Center, Xavier University. Check it out February 19
• Treat the kids to Disney’s High School Musical 2 at the Taft Theatre. February 20 – 28
• Frost/Nixon – Not the movie…the play! Presented by Broadway Across America, Aronoff Center. February 24 – March 8.
• Did you dream of joining the circus? Then come out to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Bank of Kentucky Center. February 26 – March 8
• Cincinnati Blues Festival. Bringing the mood to Music Hall. February 27
• Think Spring! Cincinnati Home and Garden Show. Duke Energy Convention Center. February 28 – March 8

Spoil Your Special Someone on Valentine’s Day

• Party like a rock star!  Metromix Valentine’s Day Party – Newport Syndicate – The Pre-Party is 7 – 9pm. The REAL party starts at 9! Prizes, food, and “adult beverages”
• Treat your special someone to a Valentine’s Day Carriage Ride though downtown. Fountain Square
• I Love You Because – Know Theatre, Over the Rhine. Through February 21. Enjoy this light hearted musical, exploring life and love in neurotic New York
• La Petite France – I love this charming little restaurant in Evendale. The romantic 3 course French Valentine’s Day dinner for $49 includes your choice of appetizer, entrée and dessert. Lobster bisque…fabulous!
• He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not – Is your honey a “game player”? Take him to Gameworks, Newport on the Levee. 3 Course Couples dinner, 3 hour game card $65
• D L Hughley – Funny Bone Comedy Club. February 13 – 15. The food there is pretty good! Check out the menu online, then give your valentine the gift of a good laugh!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com