Name: Nick
Neighborhood: Over the Rhine
City: Cincinnati, Ohio
My Home: Two-bedroom apartment in a historic district
Over the Rhine was once the densest area in the United States and has remained largely in tact since the 19th Century. It is now the center of art and culture in Cincinnati and it full of beautiful homes, galleries, restaurants, shops, and theaters. Exploring this area is a must for any visitors to Cincinnati — it has an urban fabric that can be seen in very few places any more.
Nick's Guide to Over the Rhine
1. Favorite Neighborhood Home Store
- PARK + VINE: 1202 Main Street
Open 6:30 am to 9 pm weekdays, 8 am to 9 pm Saturday, 8 am to 6 pm Sunday
2. Go-to Shop for Gifts
- MiCA: 12/v (corner of 12th & Vine)
From their site: "A Cincinnati based, family owned and operated independent shop since July, 2003"
3. Best Vintage Shop, Thrift Store, or Flea Market
- ATOMIC NO. TEN: 1306 Main Street
From their site: "A vintage lover's quest to bring you the most unique, lovable items!"
4. Favorite Bookstore
- IRIS BOOK CAFÉ: 1331 Main Street
From their site: "Dining and coffee service and free WI-FI until 10pm nightly"
5. Favorite Coffee Shop, Café, or Restaurant
- LAVOMATIC: 1211 Vine Street
Café and wine bar
6. Best Hardware/Paint Store
- ROHS: 1403 Vine Street
A True Value hardware store
7. Best Place to Pick Up Groceries
- FINDLAY MARKET: 1801 Race Street
From their site: "Open Tuesday through Sunday, Findlay Market is home year-around to about two dozen indoor merchants"
8. Best Place to Buy Flowers
- FINDLAY MARKET — FARMERS MARKET: 1801 Race Street
From their site: "Ohio's oldest continuously operated public market"
9. Best Neighborhood Park
- CUTTER PLAYGROUND: 14th Street between Broadway and Sycamore
10. Best Spot to Take Visitors
- MUSIC HALL: 1241 Elm Street
From their site: "This Cincinnati showpiece has been renovated and updated and includes what is judged to be among the best and most beautiful concert theaters in the world."
Thanks, Nick!
Photos: Nick
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I love this post. Love the idea of sharing neighborhoods. But Nick, can we see your home? I'm so curious now.
Howdy, neighbor! We've been living in OTR for four years now, and we really like it. We liked it so much, in fact, that we make work about it:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/visualingual?section_id=5392486
And, our work is available at MiCA 12/v as well.
I just want to add that Memorial Hall, right down the street from Music Hall, is another great [smaller but only slightly more humble] venue for performances. Anyway, as a fellow neighborhood resident, I wholeheartedly second your picks!
only been in this apt for a couple months.. hope to have it presentable soon...
and visual, ive liked your stuff for a while now. keep it up.
love the post, love OTR! and i consider myself among the lucky to have seen your awesome apartment in person :)
Sounds like a really great area.
Hey, AT, can we get some sort of link on the AT homepage for all of the neighborhood guides? It would be great for when we want to reference them easily in the future.
I have lived in Cincinnati for 13 years, and love OTR. Most people think it's a bad place to live, or are scared of it, that's what I always heard growing up, but I love the area.
Also an OTR neighbor...thanks for sharing! Sometimes even I need a clue as to what to go check out :)
I'm a neighbor too-- I've lived in OTR for 3 years and wouldn't live anywhere else. Great post!
I wondered how long it would take to see OTR here. What a great place to live!
Happily your neighbor.
Liz @ TheWalkingGreen
I live in Columbus and have recently visited Cincinnati a few times with my husband, and we keep growing more fond of the city with every visit. We haven't ventured far into the center of the city yet, but this definitely gives a list of places to see. Thanks!
I LOVE OVER THE RHINE!!! Thanks soo much for this post!
As a fellow OTR resident, I am always excited to teach people about this vibrant, historic community. Amazing that in the year since Nick submitted this list, many new restaurants and businesses have popped up. See this Google map for a great list of OTR neighborhood standbys. Happy travels!
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=
204008236011882050766.0004a73ff6a825911ad9c
I would love to see more Cincy love. I'm new to the city, yes, so that's a bit of selfish for you, but there's plenty of architectural eyecandy here!