This weekend I am in Cincinnati visiting Ellen and Mike.  Yesterday was a rainy day, so we decided to visit the Cincinnati Art Museum.  Perfect timing, it was the Opening of Monet in Giverny: Landscapes of Reflection............a wonderful exhibit that runs through May 13, 2012.  Also on exhibit through the same day is Picasso Master Prints. Cincinnati Art Museum 953 Eden Park Drive Cincinnati, Ohio 45202   Admission is free and parking is free, with a purchase from the Gift Shop, otherwise there is a $4.00 charge.  So after we finished touring the exhibits, we headed for the Gift Shop to see what was available.  Many wonderful things and Mike purchased a reproduction of a Monet for only $120.00.   The way I see it, the cost of parking was only $116.00..................such a deal!    02/05/2012

Cincinnati Ranked "The Place to Be" in 2012                      Lonely Planet, the travel experts,  ranked Cincinnati #3 in their list of places for travel in 2012.  We're in great company! They rated the US Virgin Islands #1 and the Hudson River Valley, New York # 2. Following us in the ranking are the Four Corners Region in southwest USA; Culebra, Puerto Rico; California gold Country; Boulder, Colorado; Hawaii's,  Big Island; Chicago; and Yellowstone National Park. Cincinnati was recognized for more than just its river city attributes.  They praised it as a worthy venue for a weekend away. Particularly recognized were Mt. Adams, the Cincinnati Art Museum, Over the Rhine's Italianate architecture and  Findlay Market.  They claimed the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center was o... 01/30/2012

Mighty Mike Is Coming Back To The Newport Aquarium! Mighty Mike, the 14 foot, 800 pound American Alligator is making a return trip to the Newport Aquarium!!  And this time rather than kicking out all the itty bitty gators from Gator Bayou, he's getting his own space....and at that size, Mighty Mike NEEDS a lot of space! This time, they're remodeling the Ohio River section to simulate a Georgia River, and bringing the water level down a bit.  What's that mean?  Mighty Mike is going to be up close and personal, right at eye level with the little ones who'll get the biggest charge out of him!  The exhibit is expected to be ready for public viewing mid to late March.  And rather than a five month stay, he's sticking around for a year this time! Per a Cincinnati Enquirer article, Mighty Mike... 01/26/2012

Save On Kids Admission During Newport Aquarium Winter Family Days! Feeling a little budgetary pain from the Christmas shopping?  Newport Aquarium is ready to give you a little financial relief January 4 to February 29, 2012!  It's time for Newport Aquarium Winter Family Days! So what's the deal with Newport Aquarium Winter Family Days?  Well basically, you get a deal on admission prices for the young ones!  Instead of  $15 for kids ages 2-12, you're only going to have to pay $2!!  That's right TWO BUCKS....just like one of those funky Thomas Jefferson bills you hardly ever see anymore!  So what's the catch?  Well you Mr. or Mrs. Adult, must pay full price ($23) and max capacity per adult is TWO kids!  You want to take more kids than that then you need to recruit some more adults to come... 01/08/2012

Winter Means Half Price Admission To Cincinnati Zoo! We've got unseasonably warm weather right now, just right for an afternoon stroll through the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden!  Now some of the critters may be hunkering down and disliking the colder weather, but others are probably thinking "Just like HOME!!".  So what makes a trip to the Cincinnati Zoo even better? SAVING HALF OFF ADMISSION!! That's right, from now until February 29th, you can save half off the normal admission price!  Normally $15 for adults, $10 for kids 2-12 and seniors, now HALF OFF!  Parking is still $8 unless you're riding the bus or hoofing it in! And an added treat this time of year?  King Penguins on parade!  10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily catch the penguin parade, and who knows, maybe one will break out int... 01/07/2012

Harlem Globetrotters Visit Cincinnati's US Bank Arena December 30 2011 Hearing that the Harlem Globetrotters are coming to town brings back some childhood memories, and some names: Meadowlark Lemon, Curly Neal and more.  Buckets of water/confetti, hidden balls, and some of the most entertaining basketball out there!  And the Washington Generals, there to play straight man! Well the names have changed, but the family friendly entertainment hasn't!  These players all have SERIOUS hoops skills!  Did you know they're now in their 85th year after starting as the Savoy Big Five in 1926?  Now over 20,000 games later, they're still going strong!  Play a little Sweet Georgia Brown and there's only one thing that comes to mind:  The Harlem Globetrotters! The current cast of players ranges from 7'... 12/26/2011

An Early Christmas Present! Some of the best presents don't come with wrapping, ribbon and bows!  Some of the best presents aren't even actual gifts to ourselves, but an event! Last weekend our Pay It Forward post was about Ohio Alleycat Resource and their work to Trap/Spay/Neuter and find homes for deserving kitties!  We'd socialized three feral kittens and placed them with O.A.R. to find new forever homes!  Cleo quickly found a home, but Copy and Paste were still looking for new homes last weekend, but were at a local Petsmart showing their charm and actively looking for a new home. Well this afternoon we got the great news that Copy and Paste both found new homes this week, Paste on the 19th and Copy yesterday!  That's great news and a terrific Christmas present!  These two sweet cat... 12/24/2011

Discount Tickets For Cincinnati Performance of Disney Live!:  Three Classic Fairy Tales Got some aspiring little princesses at home that just LOOOOOVE Disney fairy tales?  Beauty and the Beast?  Snow White and those vertically challenged guys?  Cinderella?  Then you're not going to want to miss the January 22, 2012 performances at U.S. Bank Arena in downtown Cincinnati! This stage production will be putting on shows at noon and 3 p.m.  Tickets are $17, 22, 35 & 55 depending on the seat selection (and of course Ticketmaster will let you know they helped....unless you go to the box office at US Bank Arena). So what's the deal with the show?  We'll it's NOT on ice!  No figure skaters this time, but live action, on stage performances.  Costumes, singing, dancing, all the usual expected Disn... 12/13/2011

Cincinnati Ballet Performs The NEW Nutcracker December 15-24 2011 If you say "holiday memories", chances are The Nutcracker comes up somewhere on everyone's list!  Maybe from TV, maybe in person, maybe even an annual tradition to go down to the Aronoff Center for the Arts in downtown Cincinnati. Well this year the Cincinnati Ballet is performing The NEW Nutcracker, and they're NOT kidding about being NEW!  Tchaikovsky's music is the same (you can hear it can't you?!), but EVERYTHING else has been re-imagined and redone!  NEW Sets!  NEW Costumes!  NEW Choreography!  LOTS of dancers, and did we mention over a HUNDRED local kids involved in the performances?  Performances start with a 7:30 p.m. show Thursday December 15th and run through the closing performance 1 p.m. Sunday December 24th.... 12/01/2011

Cirque du Soleil Show Dralion Coming To Cincinnati Area March 28 - April 1, 2012 If you love watching the Cirque du Soleil shows but a trip to Vegas isn't in your travel plans.  If you're still bummed out about the Ohio River flooding canceling your Ovo show this year, there's a chance to put a bright spot on your 2012 calendar! Cirque du Soleil is bringing their show Dralion to town for five days and 8 shows March 28th to April 1st.  And this time, NO floods are going to mess with the show as the event will be held at the The Bank of Kentucky Center in Highland Heights Kentucky (500 Nunn Drive....just off of I275).  Depending on the day, there are evening or matinee and evening shows.  Tickets are ALREADY on sale and can be purchased from the Cirque du Soleil's Dralion webpage (click t... 11/28/2011

Cincinnati Zoo's 2011 PNC Festival of Lights Nov. 25 - Jan. 1It you LOVE holiday light displays, then it's time to make a trip down to the Cincinnati Zoo starting immediately after Thanksgiving for the PNC Festival of Lights! How does TWO MILLION brightly colored LED lights sound to you?  That's 300,000 more than 2010! With the show in it's 29th year, you know they're doing something right.  Open 5-9 p.m. each night with the exception of Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve.  And of course it's more than just walking around a looking at lights!  Enjoy the Madcap puppets, costumed characters strolling around, have a chat with the Talking Tigers Blizzard and Snowflake! Want to write a letter to Santa?  Easy!  See the Reindeer?  Got those too, but Rudolph may be AWOL!  You've also got the Pola... 11/21/2011

Santa Is Going To Swim With The Fishes!! (At Newport Aquarium) Tony called and he said Santa is going to be swimming with the fishes!!!  Oh, NOT like THAT!  Santa's fine, but he's strapping on the air tanks and going scuba diving at the Newport Aquarium!  That's right, it's the return of SCUBA SANTA! Starting November 25th and wrapping up New Year's Day, Scuba Santa and his elf assistance will be swimming with the fishes!  They'll be making multiple appearances a day.  Click SANTA SCUBA DIVE SCHEDULE to go to Newport Aquarium's Dive Schedule as time's vary by day.  Scuba Santa and his elf will be reading an underwater favorite of Twas the Night Before Christmas!  And as long as you and the kids are there, why not play the Reindeer Roundup game?  Find the Reindeer throughout the aquarium... 11/18/2011

Newport Aquarium Offering FREE Admission for Veterans and Active Duty November 11-13, 2011 With Veteran's Day fast approaching, another local attraction Newport Aquarium is offering a great deal for all veteran's and active duty military!  FREE admission November 11th through 13th!  Just bring proof of military service and you're in for no dollars out of pocket!  And if you want to bring friends and family, they're entitled to the normal military discount of $3 off adult tickets and $2 off child tickets (limit 4 discounts).  Tickets need to be bought at the Newport Aquarium to qualify for the discounts. Access is easy, parking is right there at Newport on the Levee, so get your trip planned now!  Type One Aquarium Way, Newport, KY 41071 into your GPS and you'll be there in no time!  Not... 11/08/2011

Time To Drop the Puck:  Cincinnati Cyclones Home Opener November 5 2011! If you're a hardcore puckhead, that day you've been waiting for is tomorrow night!  Time for another Cincinnati hockey home opener!  Cincinnati has a long history of minor league teams going way back, Stingers, Ducks, Cyclones....they've all had their hardcore fans!  Our current version is the ECHL Cincinnati Cyclones.  When we say ECHL, think AAA in major league baseball.  The Cyclones feed the Florida Panthers and the Nashville Predators of the NHL, so this is high quality hockey! And if you're looking for some of the best minor league hockey played, the Cincinnati Cyclones have won the Kelly Cup in 2008 and 2010 (think the Stanley Cup of minor league hockey)!  You're going to witness some talented play, some har... 11/04/2011

Are you looking for homes for sale in Cincinnati Ohio. First you should know that Cincinnati is is mostly in Hamilton county. Many people that work in Cincinnati also may live in Clermont County, Butler County and Warren County. Click on these county sites to research sold homes. To find homes for Sale in Cincinnati  Click here to see Cincinnati MLS      Click here to find your home with assistance www.cincyhomelistings.com 11/02/2011

Are you planning to purchase your first home in the near future and don't know where to start? With the expansion of knowledge on the Internet, where do first-time home buyers turn to find all of the information they need to buy a new home? While there are so many places to do extensive internet research about buying a home or condo in Cincinnati, consumers are often left with many unanswered questions.  A live class, where you can get all of your questions answered, is the best place to start in your home buying process. Home buyers are often afraid to make a mistake when purchasing a home, because a mistake can end up costing them thousands of dollars or being put in a situation they don't know how to get out of.Don't begin your home search without attending our class!  There have bee... 10/31/2011

    Are there smells coming from your fireplace when it rains ? Just one of the signs your chimney needs to be cleaned and inspected. Creosote builds up on the walls and when it rains you get a strong odor. Keep your home and family safe, have your fireplace cleaned for the upcoming season. Call your local chimney sweep today!   10/24/2011

4 Family For Sale By Owner Cincinnati Ohio   3407 McFarlan Road Cincinnati, OH 45211 4 Family For Sale By Owner Price : $139,900 Bedrooms : 6 Bathrooms : 4 Square Foot : 3,360 Community : Fulton Place County : Hamilton Property Type : Rental Year Built : 1958 MLS Number : 1284995 click for more information and pictures  Property Description:  4 Family For Sale By Owner Cincinnati Ohio .   Multi Family for Sale, 4 Units Cincinnati Ohio – Great Opportunity   Pre-qualify for the Great Opportunity 4 Unit Multi Family Building for sale in Cincinnati, Ohio with Trent Warner, Cincinnati FHA Loan Expert at Union Savings Bank or call 513 701 2101. This Great Opportunity to obtain this Multi Family 4 Unit Building for sale features 4 Units, 2 – 2  bedroom units each with 850’ sq ft. and 2 – 1 be... 10/19/2011

Multi Family For Sale - 4 Units   2879 Jonrose Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45239 Multi Family For Sale - 4 Units Price : $24,900 Bedrooms : 2 Bathrooms : 1 Square Foot : 950 Lot Size : 6,534 Community : Colerain Twp West County : Hamilton Property Type : Rental Year Built : 1965 MLS Number : 1249986 click for more information and pictures  Property Description:   Multi Family For Sale - 4 Units Great Opportunity   Multi Family for Sale, 4 Units Cincinnati Ohio – Great Opportunity   Pre-qualify for the Great Opportunity 4 Unit Multi Family Building for sale in Cincinnati, Ohio with Trent Warner, Cincinnati FHA Loan Expert at Union Savings Bank or call 513 701 2101. This Great Opportunity to obtain this Multi Family 4 Unit Building for sale features 4 Units each with 2 Bedrooms and 1 bath cons... 10/19/2011

Buy a Book for a Child and Help Set a Record - October 6, 2011        Once again, the Cincinnati Team (Saralou Durham, Mary Elsener and Julie Harms) is helping set a Reading Record with the organization, Jumpstart.  (www.jstart.org)  Your donation can help!  This year’s featured book is Llama, Llama, Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney. You may have seen previous book selections being read on the Today show.   Why are we doing this?  Every child deserves the chance to succeed, yet studies show that children from low-income neighborhoods are at a greater risk of school failure. Most lack access to high quality early education, live in poverty and start kindergarten 60% behind their wealthier peers. Jumpstart is a national early education organization that recruits and trains college students and ... 09/16/2011