Listen to the song and order the album here.
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Music. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
René of the Day // 12.2.11 // Christmas with the Rat Pack
The Thanksgiving holiday has passed, December has arrived and that means we can listen to Christmas music without backlash from the Bahumbugs! My absolute favorite holiday album is Christmas with the Rat Pack, featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. They swoon you with the season’s most classic tunes. I listen to it on repeat in my car throughout the month of December. It’s perfect party music and for a tree-decorating soundtrack. Though it’s been said many times, many ways, merry Christmas, to you.
Listen to the song and order the album here.
Listen to the song and order the album here.
René of the Day // 12.1.11 // First of Tha Month
I have to post this song, since the first of every month, these lyrics are texted to or received from MR, his sister, Lindsey, Becca and Sanker. Wake up, wake up, wake up…
Thursday, December 22, 2011
René of the Day // 11.8.11 // You're Gonna Miss This
In regard to my last post, I want to be sure I'm drinking in these moments and appreciating them before they fly by... Trace Adkins says it well.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
René of the Day // 10.24.11 // ALIVE
Sometimes you just need some good beats to bop to... like this - "Alive" by Kid Cudi.
Friday, October 21, 2011
René of the Day // 10.3.11 // Sound Hound
For all the apps I have downloaded on my iPhone 4 in the past year and a half, there aren't many I use on a very frequent basis. I do use the recipe apps and my tip calculator when I'm out to dinner. And the kitchen calculator to translate recipes. But one that has become so fun to have, even if it doesn't solve any crucial needs, is Sound Hound.
Tap a button and it listens to a song that's playing and serves up the title and artist - tell me how many times you've needed this?! Rocking out to a new song or can't remember the tune that's on for the life of you or when you're going back and forth with someone trying to win the argument of who a song is by - ah! It alleviates that silly frustration for me in the car on so many mornings! It's also fabulous for reviewing your recent history when researching and downloading songs for a new playlist. So download it - it's free! Look for this logo in the app store:
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
René of the Day // 9.29.11 // Toby Keith
When does his bar open at The Banks? From what I recall, this was not mentioned during his show at Riverbend in Cincinnati but it would have been prime time for marketing it to the local crowd. However, he did play looped footage of Ford commercials during his performance - we get it Toby, you're a truck-drivin' son of a gun who likes to have fun in the hillbilly sun (hey, maybe I could write some lyrics for the ole boy?)
We had a damn good time at the last show of the season at the hill on the river. We filled our lime LaCroix cans with Coronas and squeezed little lime wedges through the aluminum slots and hopped in Michelle's mom's car to head to the concert. The weather report had a pretty bad outlook but we weren't going anywhere. As soon as we got in I visited Julie at the B105 tent and the girls got scooped up by a City Beat photographer so I missed out on that opportunity. Then we ran into one of Mich's co-workers from the zoo - a short, beefy biker dude who was thrilled to buy our first beer and let us take cover under the side of the tent 15 minutes later when black clouds rolled in and a treacherous downpour began. Luckily, Mich's mom had a great golf umbrella - and Sid had a janky mini umbrella from a trip to Europe, so we squished together and stayed relatively dry (except my right arm, see photo below).
We huddled together for most of the show. The rain was on and off and the crowd was rowdy - they created a mudslide on the hill and we had front row action shots. Regardless of the weather, it was a hell of a good show and worth the sick feeling the next morning from standing out in the cold and rain. My favorite songs of the night were "Made in America" and "Shoulda Been a Cowboy" - it's one of MR's fav songs. Mich's mom was so fun and was a wonderful DD; we enjoyed buffalo wing Snyder's pretezel bites on the ride home (if you haven't had them, they're a fantastic snack.) My shit kickers (cowboy boots) are still sitting by my door mat, caked in dried mud. I think that's proof of a great country concert!
We had a damn good time at the last show of the season at the hill on the river. We filled our lime LaCroix cans with Coronas and squeezed little lime wedges through the aluminum slots and hopped in Michelle's mom's car to head to the concert. The weather report had a pretty bad outlook but we weren't going anywhere. As soon as we got in I visited Julie at the B105 tent and the girls got scooped up by a City Beat photographer so I missed out on that opportunity. Then we ran into one of Mich's co-workers from the zoo - a short, beefy biker dude who was thrilled to buy our first beer and let us take cover under the side of the tent 15 minutes later when black clouds rolled in and a treacherous downpour began. Luckily, Mich's mom had a great golf umbrella - and Sid had a janky mini umbrella from a trip to Europe, so we squished together and stayed relatively dry (except my right arm, see photo below).
We huddled together for most of the show. The rain was on and off and the crowd was rowdy - they created a mudslide on the hill and we had front row action shots. Regardless of the weather, it was a hell of a good show and worth the sick feeling the next morning from standing out in the cold and rain. My favorite songs of the night were "Made in America" and "Shoulda Been a Cowboy" - it's one of MR's fav songs. Mich's mom was so fun and was a wonderful DD; we enjoyed buffalo wing Snyder's pretezel bites on the ride home (if you haven't had them, they're a fantastic snack.) My shit kickers (cowboy boots) are still sitting by my door mat, caked in dried mud. I think that's proof of a great country concert!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
René of the Day // 9.23.11 // I love this bar
Maybe I have Toby Keith lyrics stuck in my head as I anticipate his concert tomorrow night... but one of my absolute favorite spots in Cincinnati is The Blind Lemon on Hatch Street in Mt. Adams. It's really not a hidden gem these days, but it surely is a special place. Inside it feels like a hobbit hole nestled into the side of a hill in Britain. Copper mugs, old political buttons, trains and other nostalgic paraphernalia line the ceilings and walls. You can count on a phenomenal acoustic musician to be tucked into dimly the back corner by the bathrooms, with their relaxing tunes pumping through the bar and out on the patio, which is a dreamy secret garden. With ivy-covered brick walls, cobble stone paving and woven white metal chairs you'd find on your grandparents sun porch, it's a lovely spot to relax around the fire pit and enjoy said music. Their beverage menu includes a hearty list of warm boozy beverages for blustery nights - last Friday I had the Hooken Effer which had, I believe had 4 kinds of liquor, lovingly swirled into hot chocolate and dolloped with whipped cream. Helllllo happy hour. This time of year is perfect for visiting The Blind Lemon - fantastic for a date night, a place to catch up with friends or to bring new Cincinnati visitors. Cheers!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
René of the Day // 9.22.11 // Open up your heart and let the sunshine in
How blessed is our generation to be able to capture images, ideas and memories in digital format to have forever? With the Interwebs as our database, we can share and save, practically without limits.
"Open up your heart and let the sunshine in" is a song that my grandmother and her two sisters recorded in Cincinnati in 1954 as the Nunn Sisters (short for their surname, Nunneker.) They didn't write this song but they perform as the vocalists. I will admit, it sounds very cute, almost like the Chippets from Alvin and the Chipmunks! It's not like their other songs that sound much more like the music of the times, more mature, pretty voices. They made a number of records, during the same time as Rosemary Clooney was recording in Cincinnati. It's mindblowing to me to hear them on YouTube 57 years later - they would be absolutely thrilled! I'm so happy to have this to listen to, archived online - the last time I heard one of their songs was when it was played at my grandma's funeral four years ago. I'm not sure who this person is that posted it on YouTube for his mother but it is quite sweet of him. It's so special, I have to share it here. Enjoy.
"Open up your heart and let the sunshine in" is a song that my grandmother and her two sisters recorded in Cincinnati in 1954 as the Nunn Sisters (short for their surname, Nunneker.) They didn't write this song but they perform as the vocalists. I will admit, it sounds very cute, almost like the Chippets from Alvin and the Chipmunks! It's not like their other songs that sound much more like the music of the times, more mature, pretty voices. They made a number of records, during the same time as Rosemary Clooney was recording in Cincinnati. It's mindblowing to me to hear them on YouTube 57 years later - they would be absolutely thrilled! I'm so happy to have this to listen to, archived online - the last time I heard one of their songs was when it was played at my grandma's funeral four years ago. I'm not sure who this person is that posted it on YouTube for his mother but it is quite sweet of him. It's so special, I have to share it here. Enjoy.
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| Original 45 for the song recording. |
Monday, August 15, 2011
René of the Day // 8.3.11 // Liverpool, The Beatles Story & Lambananas!
Although the photos below are out of order - Blogger isn't the best with allowing for well-organized photo uploads - they show our tiring and tremendous day in Liverpool with the "scousers" (a term for Liverpooldians). How lucky that we were there a week before the riots broke out! Alan and Andrea's mum are from Liverpool but they'd never gone around as "tour guides" - it was quite fun - see the photo below lol! First we went to the Everton shop at the football stadium (Alan's team) and then we went into the city center and walked through the mall to go to the Liverpool store (Sue's team). From there we walked to the harbor to The Beatle's Story - a museum that tells the tale of their start at The Cavern on Mathew Street in Liverpool through their short years of success from 1963 to 1970... I learned so many things that I didn't know about the beloved band but we were surprised that there were not more relics and actual items from the Fab4. I suppose they were only together a short time and a lot of things are probably in private collections.
We had lunch at Jamie Carraagher's (Liverpool footballer) Café Sports England and sat ouside - he was actually there but we didn't bother him for autographs. Then we walked to the Church of England cathedral and the Catholic cathedral, which was surprisingly modern. We also saw Super Lambananas - created to call attention to GMO food, the fused animal-fruits are all over Liverpool, decorated in funky artistic ways, just like the flying pig statues in Cincinnati and the cows in Chicago. Andi & Alan bought me a little yellow replica for my desk! Hr has been named Lambert :)
Next was the Bombed Out Church - destroyed during WWII, the walls contain a 'secret' garden where they now host movies, art exhibits, concerts and more. It was actually closed as they prepared for a showing of "The Wizard of Oz" but Alan had the guy let us in... We played on the metal tire "drums" and sat in the Compassion Tepe and tied little wishes to the pole - really neat space. From there we walked to the Mersey (mare-zee) River and saw the building and balcony where they announced to the world that the Titanic had sunk - how incredible. We probably walked 6+ miles that day...
We went back to Dave & Sue's and Andi's friends came around for her wonderful homemade chicken curry (tiki masala), naan, chutneys, samosas and other little Indian bites - quite popular dishes in Britain. We had drinks in the garden until we all practically fell asleep sitting upright! Another successful day of travel in England - and the week was only half spent!
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| Inside the Bombed Out Church |
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| Bombed Out Church |
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| Our fabulous tour guides! ;) |
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| Super Lambanana! |
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| Church of England cathedral |
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| Birthplace of The Beatles |
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| The Cavern - where The Beatles got started |
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| Chinatown - Liverpool |
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| Catholic cathedral |
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| Tying on a note in the Compassion Tepe in the Bombed Out Church |
Monday, July 18, 2011
René of the Day // 7.16.11 // Stand
On my old iPod (which will have the same music for eternity as it is linked to the iTunes on my old laptop that only turns on if it's plugged in and Findlay chewed through the cord - if anyone knows how to get music from an old iPod onto your new iTunes without wiping out what's currently there, please help me solve the mystery!) I had a playlist called "For a Great Day." It always did the trick if I was down in the dumps, needed an energy boost to get hyped or just wasn't sure what I was in the mood for...
I need to make a current "Great Day" playlist and this song would be on it - "Stand" by Rascal Flatts. Although I love country music, they've never been one of my favorite bands. But for work we had to submit a song that inspires us a few months ago and they created a CD with everyone's favorite cuts and that's when I first heard this song. The lyrics propel me into an awesome mood and inspire me on the longest, hardest days to just keep on keepin' on - you have to love that! It's one of those songs that I blare in the Yaris then I get back in my car at the end of the day, turn the key in the ignition and get blown away by the speakers lol
"'Cause when push comes to shove / you taste what you're made of / you might bend til you break / 'cause it's all you can take / on your knees you look up, decide you've had enough / you get mad, you get strong / wipe your hands, shake it off / then you stand."
Friday, July 8, 2011
René of the Day // 7.8.11 // Yoga in Ault Park
I had my mind set on spinning at LA Fitness yesterday at 6:45. I'm spending the weekend on our jetskiis with my parents and MR - who I haven't seen in almost 3 weeks - and I have 2 canoeing trips next week, so I need to be working it out... fo sho.
But then I remembered that Thursdays with sunny weather means Yoga in Ault Park! My friend Emily and her brother Clint introduced me to this phenomenon last summer when she was home from Portland. Taught by Leah Gates, a great instructor who teaches at Revolution Fitness in Oakley, the class is held with a suggested donation of $10 but any donation is greatly appreciated.
Live music is played as Leah walks around the group and directs positions - don't be intimidated if you're a new yogi. She does a wonderful job of assisting and helps press you further into poses in the most gentle way. If you're not familiar with language, no worries - take it slow and look around for guidance. One of the best things about yoga is that regardless of the studio or class you attend, people are at varying levels so it's not a competition and you can focus on your own practice and breathing.
Sometimes the class is held under the wood trellis that overlooks Otto M. Armleder Park and sometimes it's under the stone pavilion at the peak of the park - this is amazing when the sun sets. It's always such a beautiful and relaxing way to end the day... It's hard for me to give excuses not to go (I do this in regards to the gym all the time!) because Ault Park is on my street and it's one of my favorite places in the city.
If you'd like to try it, it's every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Ault Park in Hyde Park at the end of Observatory Ave. Bring a mat (they do have a few extras), a bottle of water and some cash for a donation. Search "Yoga at Ault Park with Live Music!" on Facebook for more information.
Namaste.
But then I remembered that Thursdays with sunny weather means Yoga in Ault Park! My friend Emily and her brother Clint introduced me to this phenomenon last summer when she was home from Portland. Taught by Leah Gates, a great instructor who teaches at Revolution Fitness in Oakley, the class is held with a suggested donation of $10 but any donation is greatly appreciated.
Live music is played as Leah walks around the group and directs positions - don't be intimidated if you're a new yogi. She does a wonderful job of assisting and helps press you further into poses in the most gentle way. If you're not familiar with language, no worries - take it slow and look around for guidance. One of the best things about yoga is that regardless of the studio or class you attend, people are at varying levels so it's not a competition and you can focus on your own practice and breathing.
Sometimes the class is held under the wood trellis that overlooks Otto M. Armleder Park and sometimes it's under the stone pavilion at the peak of the park - this is amazing when the sun sets. It's always such a beautiful and relaxing way to end the day... It's hard for me to give excuses not to go (I do this in regards to the gym all the time!) because Ault Park is on my street and it's one of my favorite places in the city.
If you'd like to try it, it's every Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Ault Park in Hyde Park at the end of Observatory Ave. Bring a mat (they do have a few extras), a bottle of water and some cash for a donation. Search "Yoga at Ault Park with Live Music!" on Facebook for more information.
Namaste.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
René of the Day // 7.4.11 // BOOM!
Happy Independence Day! Happy 4th! Happy Birthday, America! You look damn good for 235 years old.
Every year my family celebrates this special day along with my cousin Elise's birthday and by shooting off the old family cannon that was made in 1911 by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Around the turn of the century, cast iron cannons such as this were used as signal cannons for the start of boat races and yachting. By pulling the yellow string in the back, it hits the primer cap of the 10-gauge blanks filled with blank gun powder and makes a spark that ignites and it goes BOOM! As kids, we would stuff our ears with cotton balls or plug our fingers in them, then run into the grass to stomp out the smoke...
This year after the party, we went to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Pop's Red, White and Boom in really good seats at Riverbend. We listened to classic patriotic tunes with features of opera and a military band and watched great fireworks - the grand finale was the best I'd ever seen - loads of blue, then red & white!
Every year my family celebrates this special day along with my cousin Elise's birthday and by shooting off the old family cannon that was made in 1911 by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. Around the turn of the century, cast iron cannons such as this were used as signal cannons for the start of boat races and yachting. By pulling the yellow string in the back, it hits the primer cap of the 10-gauge blanks filled with blank gun powder and makes a spark that ignites and it goes BOOM! As kids, we would stuff our ears with cotton balls or plug our fingers in them, then run into the grass to stomp out the smoke...
This year after the party, we went to the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Pop's Red, White and Boom in really good seats at Riverbend. We listened to classic patriotic tunes with features of opera and a military band and watched great fireworks - the grand finale was the best I'd ever seen - loads of blue, then red & white!
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| Elise's chocolate ganache birthday cake with berries & white chocolate... and we had red velvet cake ice cream, too! |
Saturday, July 2, 2011
René of the Day // 6.31.11 // When the sun goes down...
"It's a smile... it's a kiss... it's a sip of wine... it's the summertime!"
It always a fabulous start to the season when you have tickets in hand for a show at Riverbend! I had the Kenny Chesney, Uncle Kracker & Billy Currington concert on my iCal for months... Last year MR introduced me to Billy - texting me his lyrics as he played at the CMT Festival in Nashville. Then he bought me some of his CDs for Valentine's Day. It's too bad he wasn't able to come home for the show but 4th of July is one of the busiest weekends of the year for Pepsi, so naturally he's working through Monday.
Sid and her roomie Michelle knew I was dying to go and called me to say her friend had a ticket for $52 - I jumped on it like Kenny's gal on his sexy tractor. We had margaritas and beers in our shit kickers for happy hour then headed to the sold out show... We had a great time! Saw my sister and Phil and ran into some other friends... And when the sun went down, things did get hotter - Brett Michaels appeared on stage and played "Every Rose Has it's Thorn" - a classic NéNé fav!
It has never happened to me before but all the songs from the show were in my head as I slept that night and all the next day... they put on a damn good show, fantastic summer memories made!
It always a fabulous start to the season when you have tickets in hand for a show at Riverbend! I had the Kenny Chesney, Uncle Kracker & Billy Currington concert on my iCal for months... Last year MR introduced me to Billy - texting me his lyrics as he played at the CMT Festival in Nashville. Then he bought me some of his CDs for Valentine's Day. It's too bad he wasn't able to come home for the show but 4th of July is one of the busiest weekends of the year for Pepsi, so naturally he's working through Monday.
Sid and her roomie Michelle knew I was dying to go and called me to say her friend had a ticket for $52 - I jumped on it like Kenny's gal on his sexy tractor. We had margaritas and beers in our shit kickers for happy hour then headed to the sold out show... We had a great time! Saw my sister and Phil and ran into some other friends... And when the sun went down, things did get hotter - Brett Michaels appeared on stage and played "Every Rose Has it's Thorn" - a classic NéNé fav!
It has never happened to me before but all the songs from the show were in my head as I slept that night and all the next day... they put on a damn good show, fantastic summer memories made!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
René of the Day // 6.23-26.11 // Put-In-Bay!
Just returned from a great weekend in Put-in-Bay with some of my best girlfriends from UC. It was really enjoyable to get away and relax for a few days - it was a blessing and a curse that I didn't have reception on my BlackBerry or iPhone all weekend. It's nice to be off the grid but it's also a little frustrating since I'm so used to being able to check emails, the weather or shoot a text to someone. But I think it really forced me to live in the moment and appreciate the company I had. Like Becca's mom said, it may be one of the last trips the girls can take together as we've started our careers, getting married, buying houses and planning to have families.
I was stoked that our first meal was at Pita Pit at BGSU - seriously, when is Cincinnati getting one of these?! It was my favorite spot for post-bar grub whenever I visited friends at OSU. The ferry ride over was a very wet and wild start to the trip... the boat rocked roughly and we got hit with some pretty big waves. Every splash made us scream and laugh and we got a little damp - but it was fine because we had cold beer in our coozies!
We began with a wine tasting at the Put-in-Bay Winery at the Doller Estate. We tried a variety of different wines and shared all around. It was beautiful in the little gazebo on the lawn - a random couple bought us a few glasses of chocolate wine which was sort of like alcoholic chocolate milk - glad I tried it but not likely to ever order it.... After our tasting we walked to the Boardwalk then had dinner at a cute little Italian restaurant called Pasquales Café. The food was really tasty classic Italian but I was so STUFFED! We had a few beverages in our room and then went to the Beer Barrel, home of the "world's longest bar" - 405 feet long. The Menus, a rockin band from Cincinnati, was playing - they change into crazy outfits and put on a great show. We agreed we'll have to go see them back home. After their set we went next door to Mr. Ed's and the lead singer Tim came up and chatted with us. He's good people. He recognized us from dinner and we promised to come see them again the next night. The band at Mr. Ed's was less than entertaining but the crowd was buck -- a woman older than and much larger than my mom was flashing her chest as she danced - we were all shocked and grossed out. And her friend had her pants around her knees as they applied a fake tramp stamp to her back. Security just looked over and said "That's nasty." In Cincy, ole gal would be in the back of a cop cruiser! Just not right. We would have been drinking for free all weekend if we got a dollar for each time someone asked if we were a bachelorette party. We said we should have brought the stuff from Lindsay's in Louisville and faked it LOL
Friday morning the weather was less than desirable. It was cold and drizzly and Lori, Lindsay & I walked to the new PIBeanery for a cup of coffee... we had to form a game plan to enjoy the day despite the crummy cold rain. We went to Rita's Margarita's on the Boardwalk overlooking the bay and Lori and I introduced the group to their first bloody mary's. I loved them - the mix had crab and shrimp chunks and the right amount of spice and garnishes. I think they prefer mimosas but I'm excited they got to give it a shot. Julie had researched the island activities and had coupons to ride the train around the island - it was a really good time. We learned so much about the tiny community - there's no doctor or hospital; only 2 restaurants stay open in the winter and only 400 residents stay year-round; groceries and RX are flown in by plane. We stopped at Heinenman's Winery, the original vineyard on the island, and did a tasting. I've found that most small midwest wineries have very similar wines - most are quite young and sweet which isn't my preferred taste but the group really liked it so it was nice. We walked over to the Boardwalk to see the pirates arrive since it was Pirate's Weekend - whatever that meant. A few actors came over on two small boats and shot some cannons... a bit underwhelming but I'm sure it's pretty neat for kids to see.
Had a blast having happy hour in our room and walked to dinner at Goat, which we'd heard great things about. I love the perch tacos - local Lake Erie fish. There was a chocolate shop and museum downstairs so we stopped in for dessert. We went to see The Menus again then saw The Webster's, another Cincinnati band whose lead singer works at the radio stations with Julie, at Round House. It was a really neat bar with a huge rotunda and the band plays up behind the bar. I ran into Calvin & Haver and was bummed that I couldn't call to meet up the next day w/o phone service.
Saturday we had gorgeous weather - finally! And the population on the island practically triples for the weekend. We walked to a different little coffee shop that was also an incredible bakery then it was a full out pool day at Mist - the pool with waterfall and swim-up bar at our hotel. It was straight out of MTV Spring Break 2003. We had a damn good time people watching - it reminded us a bit of a reality show with the ultra-blonde girls and bikinis in heels and muscly guys gyrating all over the place. The DJ was good and we met some fun strangers... we laid out almost until dinner time. Becca & I had both been really stoked to swim up to the bar and I'm glad we braved the cold water to hang out for a bit. The drinks were surprisingly cheap, too! A ton of people had big plastic Ohio State O's with long islands from Mr. Ed's and they were happy to share :)
For dinner we went to the Upper Deck which was a nice restaurant overlooking the bay. Matt's friend Sean's friend Doug's parents (uh, yeah) had raved about this place and their lobster mac & cheese at Sean's med school graduation in May so I had to try it - it was delicious. Julie, Becca & I walked to the little ice cream shop and had some really tasty key lime pie with graham cracker hunks. We'd also wanted to ride the little carousel all weekend but didn't have the chance. We were all fairly tired from the sun and didn't want to be hung over in the car so we popped into this tiki bar with near swings and a sand floor then the Put-in-Bay Brewery which I believe was just a bar, not really a brew house and headed home to rest. Exhausting fun weekend.
The one major issue was the disgusting mayflies! They were EVERYWHERE and latched on to everything. They flew around like the Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and the girls would scream and swat at them lol I think everyone would have enjoyed a bug-free environment much much better - none of us are sure if we'd ever go back but it definitely would not be at this time of year. Since there isn't a beach area, it's easy to do all you'd want to do over a long weekend but it would be best in late July or August when the weather is warmer and more predictable.
I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to finally visit this island that so many Ohioans speak of and to relax and catch up with the girls... it's always fun to see how much more you learn about people you're already close with when you travel. And I can knock one more place off my bucket list :)
I was stoked that our first meal was at Pita Pit at BGSU - seriously, when is Cincinnati getting one of these?! It was my favorite spot for post-bar grub whenever I visited friends at OSU. The ferry ride over was a very wet and wild start to the trip... the boat rocked roughly and we got hit with some pretty big waves. Every splash made us scream and laugh and we got a little damp - but it was fine because we had cold beer in our coozies!
We began with a wine tasting at the Put-in-Bay Winery at the Doller Estate. We tried a variety of different wines and shared all around. It was beautiful in the little gazebo on the lawn - a random couple bought us a few glasses of chocolate wine which was sort of like alcoholic chocolate milk - glad I tried it but not likely to ever order it.... After our tasting we walked to the Boardwalk then had dinner at a cute little Italian restaurant called Pasquales Café. The food was really tasty classic Italian but I was so STUFFED! We had a few beverages in our room and then went to the Beer Barrel, home of the "world's longest bar" - 405 feet long. The Menus, a rockin band from Cincinnati, was playing - they change into crazy outfits and put on a great show. We agreed we'll have to go see them back home. After their set we went next door to Mr. Ed's and the lead singer Tim came up and chatted with us. He's good people. He recognized us from dinner and we promised to come see them again the next night. The band at Mr. Ed's was less than entertaining but the crowd was buck -- a woman older than and much larger than my mom was flashing her chest as she danced - we were all shocked and grossed out. And her friend had her pants around her knees as they applied a fake tramp stamp to her back. Security just looked over and said "That's nasty." In Cincy, ole gal would be in the back of a cop cruiser! Just not right. We would have been drinking for free all weekend if we got a dollar for each time someone asked if we were a bachelorette party. We said we should have brought the stuff from Lindsay's in Louisville and faked it LOL
Friday morning the weather was less than desirable. It was cold and drizzly and Lori, Lindsay & I walked to the new PIBeanery for a cup of coffee... we had to form a game plan to enjoy the day despite the crummy cold rain. We went to Rita's Margarita's on the Boardwalk overlooking the bay and Lori and I introduced the group to their first bloody mary's. I loved them - the mix had crab and shrimp chunks and the right amount of spice and garnishes. I think they prefer mimosas but I'm excited they got to give it a shot. Julie had researched the island activities and had coupons to ride the train around the island - it was a really good time. We learned so much about the tiny community - there's no doctor or hospital; only 2 restaurants stay open in the winter and only 400 residents stay year-round; groceries and RX are flown in by plane. We stopped at Heinenman's Winery, the original vineyard on the island, and did a tasting. I've found that most small midwest wineries have very similar wines - most are quite young and sweet which isn't my preferred taste but the group really liked it so it was nice. We walked over to the Boardwalk to see the pirates arrive since it was Pirate's Weekend - whatever that meant. A few actors came over on two small boats and shot some cannons... a bit underwhelming but I'm sure it's pretty neat for kids to see.
Had a blast having happy hour in our room and walked to dinner at Goat, which we'd heard great things about. I love the perch tacos - local Lake Erie fish. There was a chocolate shop and museum downstairs so we stopped in for dessert. We went to see The Menus again then saw The Webster's, another Cincinnati band whose lead singer works at the radio stations with Julie, at Round House. It was a really neat bar with a huge rotunda and the band plays up behind the bar. I ran into Calvin & Haver and was bummed that I couldn't call to meet up the next day w/o phone service.
Saturday we had gorgeous weather - finally! And the population on the island practically triples for the weekend. We walked to a different little coffee shop that was also an incredible bakery then it was a full out pool day at Mist - the pool with waterfall and swim-up bar at our hotel. It was straight out of MTV Spring Break 2003. We had a damn good time people watching - it reminded us a bit of a reality show with the ultra-blonde girls and bikinis in heels and muscly guys gyrating all over the place. The DJ was good and we met some fun strangers... we laid out almost until dinner time. Becca & I had both been really stoked to swim up to the bar and I'm glad we braved the cold water to hang out for a bit. The drinks were surprisingly cheap, too! A ton of people had big plastic Ohio State O's with long islands from Mr. Ed's and they were happy to share :)
For dinner we went to the Upper Deck which was a nice restaurant overlooking the bay. Matt's friend Sean's friend Doug's parents (uh, yeah) had raved about this place and their lobster mac & cheese at Sean's med school graduation in May so I had to try it - it was delicious. Julie, Becca & I walked to the little ice cream shop and had some really tasty key lime pie with graham cracker hunks. We'd also wanted to ride the little carousel all weekend but didn't have the chance. We were all fairly tired from the sun and didn't want to be hung over in the car so we popped into this tiki bar with near swings and a sand floor then the Put-in-Bay Brewery which I believe was just a bar, not really a brew house and headed home to rest. Exhausting fun weekend.
The one major issue was the disgusting mayflies! They were EVERYWHERE and latched on to everything. They flew around like the Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" and the girls would scream and swat at them lol I think everyone would have enjoyed a bug-free environment much much better - none of us are sure if we'd ever go back but it definitely would not be at this time of year. Since there isn't a beach area, it's easy to do all you'd want to do over a long weekend but it would be best in late July or August when the weather is warmer and more predictable.
I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to finally visit this island that so many Ohioans speak of and to relax and catch up with the girls... it's always fun to see how much more you learn about people you're already close with when you travel. And I can knock one more place off my bucket list :)
Monday, June 13, 2011
René of the Day // 6.12.11 // Né Loves Ray
My love began back in 2006 when his smoky voice sang the song "How Come?" in the fashionista-fever movie, "The Devil Wears Prada." Even then, I was two years behind the album release... I Googled the lyrics and my cousin Elise bought me his CD for Christmas. His warbles became soothing for relaxing with wine in the bath or background studying music in college. I always buy CDs impulsively in line at Starbucks and bought his latest, "God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise" and continued to fall in love with listening...
When I saw he was coming to Cincinnati, I marked the date on my calendar and hoped to find a friend who's heard of him and would like to go... My birthday was a few weeks ago and MR had a surprise gift that he knew I wanted but hadn't asked for and had a second part that I would get with time... intriguing... some of the girls thought it was a ring (I knew better!) He got me tickets! Originally the show was on a Thursday so he thought he'd come up and take me - but it changed to Sunday so the "second part" was choosing a friend to ask to come with.
So Andrea also likes Ray! We arrived at Riverbend's PNC Pavilion (he packed the house by showtime) at 5:30 because they were holding a free craft beer tasting! Four tastes for every ticket; she just had one so I enjoyed 7 little cups of brew. Some I'd had before (Brooklyn Summer Ale, Sierra Nevada Summerfest) but I really enjoyed the last one I sampled - had a creamy taste and was really nice and refreshing... then I had a horrible headache from drinking margaritas and dark beer and eating Pit to Plate BBQ in the sun all day at Elise's graduation party before heading straight to the concert - luckily his music is so chill. What was also awesome was my friend Emily just got in from Portland and was coming so I got to see her and her brother Clint who's also my buddy and their parents who are great - was a fun surprise to catch up with them before the show. :)
The show was outstanding - I'd never heard Brandi Carlile but she was really fun... and the Secret Sisters were a little duo that are just that from Alabama and sang some old country - felt like honky tonkin' in Nashville! Ray even brought them on for 2 songs - that says something, to really highlight your openers in the main show. What a great guy. I missed that he didn't play some of my favs from his "Trouble" album but his voice is incredible - he's practically the only singer I've heard play live that sounds just like their studio recording. Pretty neat. He wails on the harmonica - just love his jagged mix of modern folk, classic country and alternative rock - totally unique. And he attracted quite the diverse crowd... Bummed that MR couldn't make it but Andie & I had a great time, so glad I was able to go.
This is one of my fav songs and it hits home with MR right now as this year+ of long distance grinds on us the weeks between our visits... (Quite sad he didn't play this.)
"Forever My Friend"
Who am I to tell her
Who am I to play god
Who am I to think I can go it alone
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me this is bringing me down
We've been through some changes
Always seem to hold on
Lately it feel like you can't take anymore
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman that I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
Just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Baby we can make this last a lifetime
Who am I to tell her
Who am I to play god
I don't know just what's for real anymore
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right
Maybe it's the last thing you want to hear me say
I just think if we keep out hearts together
I just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman
That I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
I just think if we will build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
When I saw he was coming to Cincinnati, I marked the date on my calendar and hoped to find a friend who's heard of him and would like to go... My birthday was a few weeks ago and MR had a surprise gift that he knew I wanted but hadn't asked for and had a second part that I would get with time... intriguing... some of the girls thought it was a ring (I knew better!) He got me tickets! Originally the show was on a Thursday so he thought he'd come up and take me - but it changed to Sunday so the "second part" was choosing a friend to ask to come with.
So Andrea also likes Ray! We arrived at Riverbend's PNC Pavilion (he packed the house by showtime) at 5:30 because they were holding a free craft beer tasting! Four tastes for every ticket; she just had one so I enjoyed 7 little cups of brew. Some I'd had before (Brooklyn Summer Ale, Sierra Nevada Summerfest) but I really enjoyed the last one I sampled - had a creamy taste and was really nice and refreshing... then I had a horrible headache from drinking margaritas and dark beer and eating Pit to Plate BBQ in the sun all day at Elise's graduation party before heading straight to the concert - luckily his music is so chill. What was also awesome was my friend Emily just got in from Portland and was coming so I got to see her and her brother Clint who's also my buddy and their parents who are great - was a fun surprise to catch up with them before the show. :)
This is one of my fav songs and it hits home with MR right now as this year+ of long distance grinds on us the weeks between our visits... (Quite sad he didn't play this.)
"Forever My Friend"
Who am I to tell her
Who am I to play god
Who am I to think I can go it alone
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me this is bringing me down
We've been through some changes
Always seem to hold on
Lately it feel like you can't take anymore
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman that I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
Just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Baby we can make this last a lifetime
Who am I to tell her
Who am I to play god
I don't know just what's for real anymore
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Something tells me girl this is bringing you down
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm right
Maybe it's the last thing you want to hear me say
I just think if we keep out hearts together
I just think if we build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
Forever my friend
Forever my love
Forever the woman
That I'm thinking of
I just think if we keep our hearts together
I just think if we will build on this trust that we have for one another
Maybe we can make this last a lifetime
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