For my first official assignment I got to go the Cincy Blues Fest. This was the 19th year, and I am sad to say, the first time I have gone. I do like the Blues. And not because I’ve seen the Bues Brothers. I know who Robert Johnson is, and I own his complete recordings. But I don’t have a lot of Blues, nor am I familiar with the local talent. The only reason this was on my radar is that Crazy Joe and the Mad River Outlaws were scheduled to perform. They are a Rockabilly band from Enon, OH (north of Dayton) and I was excited to see them play here.
So here I was, first-time at the Cincy Blues Fest, on a Friday night. First thing I did was go exploring.
Okay, two of my favorite local things are coming with the thing I miss most about New Orleans!
From here in the Queen City the two elements in question are:
Pho Lang Thang – finally we’ve got some classic down home Vietnamese cooking in this town! I moved here from a city with a large Vietnamese population and I had missed that more than almost anything. Number one stop on every trip to Findlay Market!
The Famous Neons Unplugged – The living room of the OTR! Chilled out and fun with a brilliant courtyard and a solid bar. Little known to some a certain segment of the populace meet there to watch Dr Who…
From back home in NOLA? Crawfish! (As if you couldn’t tell that from the title.)
This trifecta is, as they say, full of WIN! You can be guaranteed that I’ll be there early, and if you can get me to stop eating long enough I might even teach you the proper way to peel a crawfish…
Trust me on this one. And no, I’m not getting paid or anything like that. I genuinely love both the places involved and if anyone in town can pull off this Gulf Coast tradition it would have to be the guys from Pho Lang Thang. As to hosting, only Neons and Mayday have the right vibe.
As you are probably aware, CincyVoices is big on supporting the arts. I believe that getting involved with the arts is a wonderful and vital thing, one that enriches both yourself and the community of which you are a part. Since that is the case I’d like to share an opportunity with all of you, the chance to become a volunteer at the Taft!
Here is the text of the email I received this morning from them, if you know anyone that might be interested please forward it in their direction! Thanks! -Loki
Taft seeks volunteer instructors for museum programs
Do you love art? Do you like to meet new people? Are you curious about one of the finest small art museums in the country? The Taft Museum of Art in downtown Cincinnati is currently recruiting docents (volunteer museum guides).
“A docent is so much more than just a gallery guide,” says Jean Graves, assistant curator for docent and school services. “A docent is a combination of Yoda, leading young students on a journey of discovery; Alex Trebek, raising questions about art and history; and Ryan Seacrest, keeping a group lively and on track through the Museum.”
Docents learn and teach about art, make new friends, and make an important contribution to our schools and community. Docent trainees meet for classes Wednesday afternoons September through May. Graduates of training make a commitment to serve as docents for a minimum of three years.
Selected candidates will be contacted for interviews. Museum members can also audit docent training for $5 per class; call the museum for details at (513) 241-0343.
“Whether its leading a group of enthusiastic third graders through the collection or talking to a couple on a first date about their favorite painting,” says Graves, “the Taft docents create a special and unique experience for all visitors.
The Taft Museum of Art is at 316 Pike St., in downtown Cincinnati. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and free for children under 18. The museum is free to all on Sundays. Call 513-241-0343 or visit the website at www.taftmuseum.org for additional information.
Two thousand years after her death Cleopatra is the subject of an amazing exhibit at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Recent finds, mostly underwater excavations, are finally yeilding tangible evidence of Egypt’s most famous queen. (The Romans tried to obliterate all mention and images of her.)
I had the pleasure of attending the media preview of the exhibit and I must say it is impressive. Let’s set the tone with a slide show of some of whats in store when you go. (More after the slide show)
The presentation of this show is simply stunning. The designer went all out in exploiting the underwater archaeology motif to great effect. Rippling blue lights gave the interior the feel of being beneath the waves while artifacts unseen for thousands of years loom above and around you. It’s guaranteed to have appeal to both the Tomb Raider generation and their seniors.
As to the contents of the exhibit itself I’ll allow those more deeply steeped in the project to explain in their own words. Let’s start with John Norman (a Cleveland native) the president of Arts and Exhibits International.
Next let’s hear from Kathryn Keane, director of traveling exhibitions development for The National Geographic Society as she tells us more about this titanic effort:
And to round out the video offerings here is the one I shot of Franck Goddio’s opening remarks. I must admit he is the one I was excited about seeing. Goddio is the director of the European Institute of Underwater Archaeology, he is the man who discovered the submerged Royal Quarters of Alexandria, the lost city of Heracleion, and the suburb of Canopus.
So thats round one. I’ll be returning soon with part two which will include more pics from Mickey DeSilva and audio interviews that I did with both Goddio himself and Mark Lach, creative director and senior VP of Arts and Exhibitions International.
Cleopatra opens Friday and will consist of a wide variety of lectures, a book club, and many more ways in which to immerse yourself in the land of the pharaohs beyond the exhibition itself. Details on the Cincinnati Museum Center’s page for the show- Cleopatra: The Search for The Last Queen of Egypt.
See you soon with part two!
-Loki, Founder and Curator Media access provided by the Cincinnati Museum Center, or as I like to call it- The Hall of Justice!
Content of this post is copyright 2011 SocialGumbo, LLC. This supercedes the blanket creative commons license.
On the corner of Chase and Hamilton, just down the block from Shake It Records, is a magical building. You look inside the windows and conclude that Willy Wonka and Dr. Seuss collaborated on the interior decor.
This is Happen Inc., and right next door is their unique and wonderful Toy Lab. Let’s start off with some words from Tommy, the man in the lab coat behind the operation as he explains Happen and the Toy Lab:
Not having kids myself, but being fascinated by the Toy Lab, I borrowed some. I brought my friend David G. and his two kids over to check it out. Stephen (3 1/2) and Tiger Lily (7) are a precocious pair who arrived ready and eager to put the men in the lab coats to work.
First the kids pick through bins upon bins of toy parts to find the seven components that will make their unique toys. Then they bring them to the counter where Happen’s resident mad scientists build each one to order. As the men in the lab coats wield their hot glue guns, dremmels, and other tools the kids are able to watch through clear plexiglass windows. Take a look:
After the glue guns are put away and the buzz of the power tools subsides a new toy makes it’s debut. As the Happen folks tell the kids, “A toy only you have!” Here is Tiger Lily’s – an action hero called Capt. Underpants!
So after awhile everyone has designed their toys and the Happen staff have efficiently and entertainingly constructed them. David and I were told in no uncertain terms that we were not allowed to play the adult and skip out on making our own as well. I’ve got to admit that this was really fun, even for a man in his mid forties.
At the end of our visit Mr. Pete made the formal announcement introducing four new toys to the world. Here they are:
Quite a morning! I can’t think of any children’s program I’ve run across that I like this much. The fusion of art, participatory creation, and performance on the part of the staff make for an atmosphere that would be beneficial for any child. The Toy Lab is one of single favorite things I’ve sen or done in my two years here in Cincy!
Check out Happen Northside 4201 Hamilton Ave (at the corner of Chase), (513)751-2345 [Website | Facebook | Twitter] Hours: 3:30 – 7:30pm (Tue.-Thu.) & 10am – 5pm (Sat.) Sessions are held on weekdays at 6:00pm, Tuesday-Thursday, & continue at 11:00am on Saturday. All are FREE on a first come first served basis.
Many thanks to Tommy at Happen Inc who donated the morning’s toy building and to David G. for providing the munchkins!
For my first official assignment I got to go the Cincy Blues Fest. This was the 19th year, and I am sad to say, the first time I have gone. I do like the Blues. And not because I’ve seen the Bues Brothers. I know who Robert Johnson is, and I own his complete recordings. But I don’t have a lot of Blues, nor am I familiar with the local talent. The only reason this was on my radar is that Crazy Joe and the Mad River Outlaws were scheduled to perform. They are a Rockabilly band from Enon, OH (north of Dayton) and I was excited to see them play here.
The Queen of the Nile has come to the Queen City!
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