René of the Day // 7.29.11 // Featured Friend: Andi

So how I met my British bestie... Once upon a time, I was a 13-year-old student ambassador with People to People and spent 3 weeks traveling through England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This trip around the UK was many things - my first out-of-country adventure, the longest I've ever been away from home and a time when I met two friends who are still very near and dear to my heart.

We learned of our assigned homestay families in Ireland and England a few weeks before the trip. Mind you, this was 1999... we still paid-per-minute for AOL usage, dialed up and hoped the crackling sound would connect to a ::ding:: and "You've Got Mail!" and not everyone had it yet. The Bond Family and their daughter Andrea sent me an email through their friend Craig who had email and we chatted a few times before my arrival.

Thirteen years later, I am honored (ahem, honoured) to serve as her Chief Bridesmaid (as the Brits call the Maid of Honor) on August 1. It's always funny because I'm so girley and she's more of a tomboy - I chatter without coming up for air and she's a bit quiet - we balance each other well. Hell, she convinced me to spend a summer in the woods of Connecticut during college! It makes me feel terrible to think that I'm only now returning, but it is quite expensive to travel from this side of the pond to that, as compared to the other way around. Absolutely thrilled to meet her fiancé Alan - my parents met him in Barcelona with the entire Bond family last year and he seems like a fantastic "lad." I am also thrilled that she's arranged for one of my good friends from Scotland to come spend a day and night with us! It's going to be an unforgettable trip with 50 bottles of wine awaiting consumption... Cannot wait for a proper English breakfast and Sunday roast! There will a few posts coming from the wedding and our adventures over the next 10 days.

It's mind-blowing how now we can easily chat every day via Facebook, Twitter or text via the What's App on our iPhones. Oh how that times have changed - for this I'm ever so grateful.

Ta-ta for now!

My British sibs - Andi & her brother Stevie

René of the Day // 7.28.11 // Happy birthday, big sister!

Happy birthday to my big sister, Jaclyn, who turns 28 today!

One of my fav pictures of us. Who Dey - Bengals in the Super Bowl!

P.S. Seriously, don't love you my rats nest hair do?

René of the Day // 7.27.11 // Wasson Way Project

This incredible idea was first brought to my attention on Facebook - how amazing would it be to have a trail similar to the Loveland Bike Trail that I grew up on, here in the Hyde Park area? With the multitudes of people walking their dogs, running with their jogging strollers and walking with friends around the neighborhoods, it would surely receive high foot and bike traffic. What better to do with 6.5 miles of unused railroads? This would be perfect for Bob Ronnecker's runners training for races...

"Like" it and learn more about turning these abandoned tracks into a recreational trail! A project of this magnitude needs all the local support it can muster up.

UPDATE: My step-dad, Chip, just told me about the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy - perhaps they can link up with them to continue rolling it forward.

René of the Day // 7.26.11 // Graffiti for Good

Generally, it disgusts me when I see public places defaced with spray paint. But yesterday as I was leaving Crossroads Church, I saw this on an abandoned warehouse in Oakley and it made me stop, smile and think. How great is this message? Let the focus on your love be larger than your focus on work/gadgets/technology - pay attention and be mindful of one another and there will be peace. Think about it. Pretty powerful stuff.

René of the Day // 7.25.11 // Canoe x 2

Only on the Little Miami River....

This has shaped up to be a hell of a summer! I was lucky enough to go canoeing two times in one week earlier this month... Post has been pending pictoral evidence, presented below. On a Tuesday we went canoeing for a work inspiration event and celebration - we had Panera and a few drinks and jumped on the bus with our branded bags, towels, water bottles, coolers and such - and hit the Whitewater River. I'd never been on this river before so it was an exciting new adventure - it's much more shallow and has less surrounding woods than the Little Miami but it was an easy route to relax and have fun along. Julie was my coxswain and she was fabulous, of course. We had a blast cruising down the rapids and stopping at the numerous rock beaches to "play" in the water with co-workers and bronze, as our canoe team name was "License to Chill." One of my favorite parts of the day was when the whole team docked and floated in the water and each person said why they got into "the business." Pretty interesting answers. Perhaps the most fun day of work, ever.

Cabrew Crew

Then on Saturday we went cabrewing on the Little Miami with a group of 12. It was a fantastic mix of my friends. Little did I know, MR is no canoeman. As soon as we left the shore, we literally crashed into the other... I got bush-whacked and laughed so hard I cried and couldn't get us out (see photo). We untangled and the a tree brand rest on the bow as evidence then crashed into more rocks under the bridge... we finally got into the center of the river and started floating with the other 5 canoes and again, we began veering towards the banks. I mean, really? After an hour of hilarious bickers (his Southern curses are hilarious - "God dog!" "Shit fire!") and blaming me for our wayward meanderings, I made him trade spots so he pouted in the front and drank beer as I steered us smoothly down the river. Loved hearing everyone's comments about how we didn't have any trouble once we switched places and "didn't he know he had all the control in the back - it wasn't René's fault." HA. I didn't mind - we had more fun this way and I do enjoy rowing. On this trip I learned that if you get in to pee, you must put your arms up and flex (like field goals) to let everyone know what's up - good tip for fellow river waders. 

In the middle of the 8-mile trek, MR jumped off a rope swing from the top of a massive tree - if the sun was still shining I would've joined him but I was spent and it was shady... I didn't want to be freezing with a fading buzz at 5:00pm. It looked like a blast and I had to hold my breathe until he came up for air with all limbs in good shape. Of course we brought Mingo, the pink plastic flamingo we stole from Luke's old neighbor before our last canoeing adventure (he flaked out this time because he was hung over - punk) but I don't think he made it into any pictures. It's fair to say I've had my fill of the local waters for the summer but two full days are more than a city girl could ask for!

Thanks to George for capturing all the awesome photos!

Cruising with MR before he was banned from steering the canoe ;)

Action shot of our first crash - laughing so hard I was in tears!

With Haley in our amazing matching "Lisa Frank" shorts!

The entire office posing as river rats! :)

René of the Day // 7.24.11 // Bunny

Tonight MR and I were playing Tabletopics and one of the questions was "What was your favorite book as a child?" His were Jolly Molly - a Jimmy Buffet kid's book of course - and Catcher in the Rye - which I honestly just read last year after J.D. Salinger died - but I disgress.

My answer was Stuart Little and The Velveteen Rabbit - which he hadn't heard of! And it made me realize I'd never told him about my blanket or bunny.... As a little kid (well, I've always been little) I had a brown and cream striped blanket that had originally been made for my sister when she was born. But at some point, it became mine. And it was my third arm. I waddled around with it and rubbed it on my nose to soothe me to sleep as I sucked my ring and middle fingers on my right hand - yeah, this post may be TMI. But I was cute and I know my mom has numerous photos of this....

When I was 6 years old, my mom wanted me to say goodbye to the blankie and move on to something more grown up. My grandma had made me a peach pillow but I wasn't going to carry that around - the pretty white lace was scratchy on my nose! Around Easter time we negotiated on a white Puffalump bunny... The blanket was held hostage in my mom's closet until one day she threw it away and never told me - I'd peek every now and again to make sure it was in safe keeping and one day it was gone - I know she regrets it to this day. RIP in Rumpke, Blankster.

But the bunny became my buddy... and I had to dig it out of my closet, hidden in a blue bag from Tiffany's, after sharing that story with MR. This stuffed animal was cleared well-loved... The name is appropriate - he used to be puffy and now he's lumpy. It has some discoloration from falling behind the bed at my apartment from a few years and begin pressed against the heater and water damage from the AC... So here's a photo of the bunny... and what he once looked like.

René of the Day // 7.23.11 // Power Grass

How amazeballs is this? I saw this multi-docking charger station at Target for $24.99 and mentally chalked it onto my Christmas list. I love the simple clean look of the grass and it's quirky and funny to think of the electronics we can't seem to live without "growing" out of a window box lol

So it hides the cords - but do you think it can handle my iPhone, BlackBerry, Kindle, iPod and two MacBook Pros? Perhaps I need a whole garden to charge the brigade! 

René of the Day // 7.22.11 // Cincinnati Art Museum

One of my favorite places in the city... I come here every other month or so, alone, just to clear my mind and relax and be inspired. I love to see the new collections and visit my favorite pieces. It's a great way to get away and reflect have "me" time. I've vowed to make the most of summer hours at work on Fridays and so far I've been happy with the adventures - The Beach Waterpark, the driving range, a massage and this week, the art museum... and the next two will be spent en route to and in England!

Many of the galleries are closed off right now - perhaps summer is a slow season, but I'm really looking forward to what's to come in Gallery 201 - which is usually where you begin after entering the lobby. It used to house ancient Egyptian artifacts and vessels and the like - it will be refreshing to see something new - those things have been there as long as I can remember!

I always stop to admire one of my favorite pieces in the museum's permanent collection, "Rocks at Belle-lle, Port Domois" by Claude Monét. The powerful somber colors of the water hitting the granite rocks is an Impressionism masterpiece.

I also love visiting the Damascus Room - a full parlor room of an affluent Syrian family - it's mind-blowing how they've transported and assembled it again. 

The neatest thing I saw on this excursion to the museum was the effort of Conserving Van Gogh. They are working to restore "Undergrowth of Two Figures." It was really interesting to watch the curator scan across the painting as it was shown above on a flatscreen TV. He will capture the changes and use Photoshop to create an image of what the painting looked like when it was first created. He said many of the dyes used then were made from plants or bugs or had a high iron content - Van Gogh's brother brought him paints and were likely not very high quality - so over time they've browned or turned green in spots that used to be pink or yellow. They believe this piece was completed in the last weeks of his life. If you have a chance, the gentleman working on the art is there most days and is very intriguing and interesting to speak with. 

It's a lovely place to spend a quiet day out of the heat or cold and to soak up a little awe and inspiration. If I had my druthers, my wedding would be here someday. The café has delicious lunches in the beautiful courtyard with statues and fountains in the background... It's pretty amazing what you'll learn and the sights you'll see - especially in the upstairs Contemporary Gallery where a volunteer once told me it's haunted by a girl who hung herself after she had an affair with her professor when it was the Art Academy. Admission is free and so is parking if you get a spot in the lot across from Seasongood Pavilion. 

René of the Day // 7.21.11 // Mark Your Calendars!

...for the second annual Cincinnati Chocolate Festival!

The event is on October 23 from 12:00-6:00 p.m. at the Cintas Center at Xavier University.

Tickets:
$5/10 tickets at Kroger
$7/10 tickets at the door
$1/2 additional tickets

Tickets may be used for chocolate tastings, raffle baskets, demonstrations and other happenings.

Follow the festival on Twitter or become a Fan on Facebook for more delicious details!

More than 30 vendors will have delectable tastings of their best chocolate offerings. With vendor competitions, an amateur contest, children's activities, raffle baskets, holiday shopping opportunities and chef demonstrations, the entire day will satisfy your sweet tooth!

A fabulous Premiere Party will be hosted on Thursday, October 20 at Midwest Culinary Institute with one of my favorite local chefs, Sean Kagy and sponsored by one of my favorite wine shops, A Bottle of Two. With a silent auction, chocolate-inspired food stations and a champagne reception, it will be a the perfect soiree to whet the appetite before the big event!

My previous boss asked me to join the efforts of the Isaac M. Wise Sisterhood, to which she belongs, and contribute PR and social media expertise. I'm having a great time seeing everything come together and helping to secure local celebrity judges and spread the word about this incredible event. All proceeds benefit local children's charities supported by the Sisterhood. I hope all my friends and family can attend!

René of the Day // 7.20.11 // Small Spaces

I love my small space. I do - how else could I spend 5 years in a studio apartment and add a 15-pound Westie and host a big burly boy a few weekends every month? It's cute, cozy, quaint - it's me. Today I saw this helpful article on Twitter from House Beautiful for decorating ideas for small spaces: "11 Essential Organizing Tips for Small Spaces."

I'm an organiz-aholic. It's one of my favorite stress busters and even when I was a child, I'd sit in my mom's grocery chart and organize the items into categories - box, cans, produce, etc. I thought I'd share some of my favorite notes from the article since small spaces must be neat spaces or they become nasty places. Just sayin'.

Organize furniture into mini rooms - that I have! The back of the couch separates the dining table and kitchen from the living room/bedroom area of my studio - which is in tandem with idea #3, to float furniture in the middle of the room. It really does break it up and makes it feel larger - and serves as an additional entertaining area, as idea #10 suggests.

I would LOVE to have floor-to-ceiling bookcases like they mention in idea #5... my goal is to have a "library" when I have a house and if I were re-designing the studio, I'd put in a wall of them. I could certainly fill them with my crazy collection of books! And my furniture does match the wall color - my tufted headboard is a very similar shade to open up the sandy Ralph Lauren painted walls.

It's incredible how personal and lovely a small space can be made if thought through... hope sharing this article is helpful to other small-space dwellers.

René of the Day // 7.19.11 // Junior League

Thrilled to announce that I've joined the 2011-2012 Provisional Class of the Junior League of Cincinnati! This is an organization that I've hoped to join since I graduated from college and this just happened to be a great year to take the time to pursue the opportunity. I'm really looking forward to making a greater contribution to our community and growing professionally and personally through the exciting experiences ahead. A few of my girlfriends from college and colleagues from work are also involved so it should serve as a wonderful networking platform and chance to volunteer for beneficial and well-organized events and efforts in Cincinnati. Their philanthropic efforts are focused on the well-being and enhancement of the lives of children through high-touch outreach, which is truly inspiring - the three projects we're focusing on in our Provisional year sound like they will be fantastic learning experiences and will produce remarkable results for all involved - I can't wait!

What is Junior League?

The Junior League of Cincinnati is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The Junior League of Cincinnati is an exclusively educational, charitable organization which reaches out to women of all races, religions, or national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism.

René of the Day // 7.18.11 // Bucket List: Cooking Vacations

When I saw a link on National Geographic's Twitter feed for "Ten U.S. Cooking Vacations" I salivated. Two of my greatest passions are food (cooking) and traveling... to combine the two is my ultimate bliss. I'm thrilled to say I've been to some of these popular culinary getaways but I've only dined in great restaurants - I haven't had the opportunity to dive into culinary travel like the trips offered by Epitourean (how wonderful is that name?)

From the list, Napa Valley is floating on the top of my bucket... I'm hoping I can finally take a trip with my well-seasoned Mom and Aunt Chrissy next year, since we've talked about going since I was in college - it's about time they brought me along! MR and I have plans for a trip to Asheville, NC next spring to visit The Biltmore Estate. I'd love to spend a summer holiday in Maine - the summer as a camp counselor in Connecticut came close but boy, do I love New England. Santa Fe and Savannah, Georgia are also on the list and some old friends rave of Santa Fe and perhaps I could swing by Savannah to see the "Hostess City" on a trip to see family and friends in Atlanta - who can refuse Southern delicacies?

I've had memorable dinners in New Orleans at Galatoires the week of New Year's two years ago, MR and I had lovely meals at High Cotton and 82 Queen in Charleston, SC this spring. I have in fact seen Julia Child's kitchen in the Smithsonian in Washington, DC and also explored the culinary treasures of NYC the summer of 2007 while I was interning.

So ultimately this list of trips is an entire chapter of my bucket list - packing my bags & bon apetit!

To read the full article, click here.

René of the Day // 7.17.11 // NGD

Right?! This absolutely cracks me up - the designer who sits across from me in our "pod" at work created this as a reminder for when shit hits the fan. With design borrowed from Miller Genuine Draft, it's a clear message that speaks the truth - everything will be fine, chill your beans. Amen. 

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."

René of the Day // 7.15.11 // I Heart TJ's

I worry that too many people don't understand the concept or establishment that is Trader Joe's. My mom was one of these people - she thought it was an upscale grocer like Whole Foods or The Fresh Market that over-charged for things like local produce and other items that can usually be found much cheaper at other stores... but my friends, that is NOT the case! I hate shopping but I have an odd love of grocery shopping.

TJ's, as we like to call it, is a mecca of fresh, unique and inexpensive savories that consumes my tummy and heart each week. At least once a week I pop in to grab lunch with the gals from work and I've found that I can check off my grocery list quiet cheaply there. Their frozen food section is mind-blowing - curry paneer rolls, pad Thai, loads of Ethnic foods and also meats, fish and special desserts and appetizers suitable for cocktail parties - things you'd order in a restaurant but never find in, say, Kroger's freezer.

One of my new favorites is the guacamole hummus (Can you imagine? Two amazing things in one, less than $3 and only 50/cals per serving). Their massive wine and beer selection has an unheard of number of decent bottles under $10 - the classic "two buck Chuck" is here - and craft beers at unbeatable prices. The only thing I would not recommend is their sushi - it tends to be a bit gluey and icky - but I think that's fair to say for most grocery store sushi. And their flowers! Gorgeous bouquets  starting at $4 - seriously. No man has an excuse now! Their weekly Fearless Flyer that comes in the mail always has great recipes, hilarious descriptions of items in season and groceries lists to easily grab all the goodies.

I just love that I can fulfill my grocery list with gourmet items and staples with neat, unique items for less than expected. And it's fun to shop there - the employee's ring bells at the check out, anyone will stop to help you find things and the clever, hand-written signs for every product give it a lovely kitschy feel - very west coast. So I had to share... I love this place.

René of the Day // 7.14.11 // Must Have: Kate Spade Book Clutch

I have been eyeing these adorable and intellectually-stimulated clutches by Kate Spade for months! Literature + KS style = divine. I was head-over-heels for "The Great Gatsby" style when the purses first came out but it's no longer available on the website. How smart would it look to carry this tucked under your arm? Oh! And my reading glasses are brown-framed Kate Spade spectacles - how apropos! Of course, I cannot justify this purchase right now - it's a not a practical every day bag and I have plenty of trips and other things that my money will be put to better use for in the coming months. But take a peek at these fabulous "book bags" by clicking here.

René of the Day // 7.13.11 // Ky @ Camp!

Throwing deuces, just like Aunt Né!

One of my absolute things about my life is being an aunt to my 7-year old niece, Kylie. She goes in waves, as many children do, of when she wants to be my buddy and when she just can't be bothered with "Aunt Né"... But I always try to have fun with her, whether's it's an Aunt Né Day to the Children's Museum or a day on Oakley Square to King Arthur's Court toy store and Blue Manatee book store topped off with ice cream at Aglamesis' Brother's. It's been neat watching her grow since she was born my senior year of high school... She honestly is a great kid - you can take her to a fine dining restaurant and she loves to get dressed and behaves quite properly but she has no problem throwing down in the mud and riding her mini-quad and fishing at her daddy's families farm. I can't wait for her to go to college and she what she blossoms into some day. 

Right now she's at her second week at Camp Ernst. The 365-acre camp is in Burlington, KY, about a half hour southwest of Cincinnati. My stepdad, "Grandpa Chip" was a counselor there for years, as his family was always highly involved with the YMCA. Last year she went for one resident week and had a ball - this year they decided she could go for two weeks, spread out with a few back home at day camp in between. It's Harry Potter week so the child is thrilled - although I believe she's just seen the movies.

Camp Ernst does a great job with posting to social media, providing little tidbits of information to parents back home. I love following their Twitter feed and seeing what kind of wildness the munchkins are getting into. They also have a website where they post photos of each bunk through the week for families to view. My mom sends the link every few days and it makes me so excited to see how much fun she is having... If you know any college kids looking for summer work, being a counselor there looks like a blast - it's not quite as rugged as Camp Laurel in the woods of Connecticut where Andi and I spent a summer in college! Chip says the food has always been really good and they do every classic camp activity you can imagine - the lake with the banana, rock wall, zipline, horses, archery... I hope this becomes a summer tradition for her through junior high. She'll make some pretty spectacular memories - and maybe she can become a counselor-in-training after that!

To learn more about this place that my family loves, click here.

Here are a few photos from Ky's camp adventures:

Purple shirt - how does she look so pretty after 3 days of living outside???

Nice shades, kiddo (Front row, far left)

René of the Day // 7.12.11 // Blue Balls

Last night we wrapped a hell of a season of kick ball for Team Blue Balls for Cincinnati Sports League! We played at Lunken every Tuesday night from May through July and came out 9-3. I truly wondered what my friends were thinking when they asked me to play - I'm no all-star. But I ended up feeling pretty confident in my playing skills - made some good kicks and runs, but it's safe to leave the fielding to other teammates lol It was a fun group of MR's high school buddies and I really appreciated that they asked me to join them... And I think it's fair to say the free post-game pitcher/bucket of beer at MLT was the best part!

The past few weeks we had been winning 10-1, 9-1, kicking ass and taking names... When it came to the championship round last night, I was a few moments late - they're always afraid I won't make it because I'm usually at the office until at least 6:30 most nights - and was a little saucy & exhausted from a company canoeing trip. We came back in the end of the first game but lost 9-5. They happened to be one of the first teams we played in the season and had beat us then.

All in all, we had a great time, despite playing in sweltering heat, monsoon rain and lack of team branding (we really need to get t-shirts)! It's a shame we can't count it as exercise, since the 4 beers you drain per game cancel out any calories you burn...

Cheers to the Blue Balls - to a great season and a hell of a team!

René of the Day // 7.11.11 // Google Doodles

Don't they just make your day? I love when I open the search browser and there's a lovely image that leaves me guessing for what the special anniversary of the day is - a deceased artist's birthday? A creative picture of a holiday or fun games - who didn't waste at least one billable hour on the Pac Man one?! Google started creating these in 2000 with very simple festive designs for New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's and Day, Groundhog's Day. They became more intuitive in 2002 with the Olympic Games and featured their first artist, Piet Mondrian, with his classic primary color block style featured in the Google letters. They really started making it zesty in 2003 when they carved the David in the Google logo for remembrance of his birthday and they've continued to feature creatively designed logos almost every day of the year. The Persian New Year logos are always beautiful. Bravo to Google for this daily history lesson and snippet of entertainment!

It's super fun to browse the archive of Google "logos" as they call them. Check them out here: http://www.google.com/logos/

These are some of my favorites:

Vincent Van Gogh's birthday

Frank Llyod Wright's birthday

Louis Braille's birthday

Earth Day

April Fools Day (MR's birthday!)

First day of Spring by Eric Carle (one of my favorite childhood author/illustrators!)

Mother's Day

Josef Frank's 125th birthday

76th birthday of Roger Hargreaves

Earth Day

René of the Day // 7.9-10.11 // Laurel River Lake

Just returned from a weekend of jetskiing at Laurel River Lake in Corbin, KY (home of Kentucky Fried Chicken!) with my parents & MR. We had a great time - it's the most beautiful lake I've been to... hadn't been since I was much younger. The water is so clear, in the distance it looks like the ocean until you look up at the thick green tree line. You could see all the way down past your feet in the water - which is impossible at Cumberland or Norris. This is mainly because the lake is inside Daniel Boone National Forrest so there aren't any homes or developments built on the water - the edge is forrest and rocky cliffs - it's gorgeous and very serene.

Saturday we got started a little late... 75 was locked down so MR made it in around 2:00. We headed out on our two jetskis - the smaller pink & purple Kawaski we refer to as the "sports car" and Big Blue, the new black & blue Kawasaki referred to as "The Cadillac." The difference in handling is huge... On the smaller one, the steering is very loose but it's super fast and sensitive to it's great for tricks, high jumps over wakes, figure-8s and donuts. The bigger boy is very smooth and steady and take much more effort to turn the handle. Matt & I spent most of our day on Big Blue because I flipped him off the other one early on and lost his sunglasses - luckily I brought an old pair for him - and he was so frustrated trying to handle the wiggly steering lol

We stopped in numerous different coves to enjoy Labatts & Yuenglings and hang out & jumped off some big rocks (see photo below of MR's fantastic form lol) I was cracking up listening to MR commentate like it was NASCAR since a bunch of our friends were at the race at Kentucky Speedway... lucky he didn't injure me! Evidently there's a line and he his counter-part at work, Blake, always say from "The Hangover 2" - "Comin' in hot!" and he kept saying it as he'd speed towards huge wakes - ah!

We had dinner at Applebee's - yes I ate at a chain restaurant, gasp! - because it's the only restaurant in the county that serves alcohol. We had a good ole time analyzing the couples on their first dates in Corbin haha. Honestly, the food was surprisingly good - but we were famished anyhow... Loved our hotel, Country Inn and Suites - Chip & MR love the fresh baked chocolate chip cookies when you walk in the door and the full breakfast on Sunday hit the spot before we got back on the water. It was so quiet and the water was smooth as glass that early in the morning... we were all so sore from our sun-blistered skin and bruised butts that we took it pretty easy... lots of cruising - we were all beat to hell.

Weekends like that always go so fast... I'm thrilled that MR finally got to play with our toys and we had perfect weather - I could've standed for 10 degrees cooler but hey, I got some good bronzing.

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.

René of the Day // 7.7.11 // Feed the Good

Today I was at my friend Julie's desk after lunch and a Post-It note caught my eye. It said "Feed the Good." Of course I had to ask what it was about... I always post notes of inspiration for myself and Julie and I often connect on things like that. She promised to email me the story behind her memo. And so it goes:


There is an ancient Native American story about an old Cherokee who told his grandson about the battle that goes on within us. "My son," he told him, "Inside every one of us dwells two wolves, one evil, one good. The evil one is angry and jealous, full of regret and arrogance, greed and sorrow, guilt and self-pity. The other is good. He is kind and loving, full of hope and peace, joy and compassion."

The young boy thought about it for a moment. "Which wolf wins?" he asked his grandfather.

The old Cherokee smiled and simply replied, "...the one you feed."


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Isn't this so true? When you decide to have a cheerful disposition, it's contagious and your day improves. When you choose to let the evil wolf take over your thoughts and emotions, you'll be successfully miserable. I generally feel that I choose to feed the good - even if people are annoyed by how chipper I am. It's a benefit to ourselves and those around us to feed our hearts and others' with kindness, love, hope, peace, joy and compassion. Now I may have to copy Julie's idea and post it next on my desk :)

René of the Day // 7.6.11 // Hobo Lobo

Visit http://hobolobo.net
[Click the numbered buttons at the top to scroll through...]

This is a really neat website - incredible rolling story with impressive illustrations and copy. Some very talented minds must have been behind this project. From a creative and digital standpoint, it's very cool, but kids would be entertained, as well.  Bravo!

René of the Day // 7.5.11 // Formspring

Ask me anything: http://formspring.me/rnbcincyyp

Formspring is a platform that allows people to directly ask questions in anticipation of the recipients response - it's a fun way to share insights, learn more about one another or just be entertained by the answers to random inquiries. I know this blog receives around 50-100 hits per post so I think it would be fun to allow the opportunity to ask anonymous questions if you're not comfortable leaving comments. Who knows what it will produce but I'm happy to share any Q&As received back here on my blog.

So, feel free to lay it on me!

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!

Elise's chocolate ganache birthday cake with berries & white chocolate...
and we had red velvet cake ice cream, too!

René of the Day // 7.3.11 // Cajun Shrimp

This OPI color is my favorite summer nail shade. It pops against tan toes and compliments so many of the bright colors I wear. It receives so many compliments - and like most OPI polishes, it has such a zesty name! OPI is always my top choice because they have shiny, fabulous colors and it's long-lasting - I can do a self-pedi and it lasts over two weeks! And when I paint my fingernails they look great, without chips, for at least a week...

Cajun shrimp is a coral-orange-red color (paints on less red than the photo of the bottle below). It's perfect for hot weather and sandals - bright & sassy!

René of the Day // 7.2.11 // Words of Wisdomish

Can you believe how much Facebook has changed? From the interface to the capabilities, it's practically nothing like the Facebook we signed up for in college that was strictly for students - I think the only thing that hasn't changed is the profile picture. Remember the little box for a comment or quote under your photo? And bumper stickers? Those were the days... I had glanced at my info the recently and realized I had this novel of quotes on my page and thought, "Okay René, you've graduated from college, no need to share the philosophies of others that you admire on your social networking platforms." But some of the words are ones I don't want to lose, so I'm posing them here to keep for future reference.

"I don't want to be a product of my environment. I want my environment to be a product of me." - Jack Nicholson

"The best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at something worth doing."

"The core of one's spirit comes from new experiences." - Alexander Supertramp

“I’m not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.” - Marilyn Monroe

"Failures are worth more than successes. You learn more from those experiences. You work for success, but it's the failures that will help you get to the next success." - Charlie Trotter

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

"LET IT BE." - The Beatles

"It's a fool who looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart."

"O ba la dee, o ba la da, life goes on, brah, la la la la life goes on" - The Beatles

"Cincinnati, I thought was the most beautiful of the inland cities of the Union." - Winston Churchill

"I didn't invent the rainy day - I just own the best umbrella."

"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities." - Albert Einstein

"Minds are like parachutes; they only function when open." - Thomas R. Dewar

If you don't paddle your own canoe, you don't move.

"Success is not final; failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts."

"When you've got nothing left, all you can do is get into silk underwear and start reading Proust." - Jane Birkin

René of the Day // 7.1.11 // SHARK TANK!

Slightly embarrassed to say I've lived within 3 minutes of O'Bryonville for nearly 5 years and although I frequent The BonBonerie, Kismet boutique and Bob Ronnecker's Running Spot, I've said for years that I have to go to O'Bryon's Irish Pub and have a "Shark Tank." Voted Best Novelty Cocktail by Cincinnati Magazine, this bucket of booze tastes like a Shirley Temple for adults - I believe it's vodka & Sprite, then the fun part is pouring grenadine into the cup via a small plastic shark - dunuh, duhnuh, dunuh! The red syrup swirls through the ice and looks like a victim has suffered a slow death in your drink. Delicious!

Lindsey mentioned how she missed the way we used to walk about O'Bryonville in college and thought it'd be a great spot for our plans to catch up on Friday night. We sat on the rooftop deck and enjoyed our shank tanks and were joined by Becca, Mark, Julie and Nick - we cheers to him for his birthday and I also cheers to my dad who turned 60 today! Ole man is in Gainesville for the week with his buddies that he grew up with but I called to tell him I bought Florida/Kentucky football tickets for his gift - we're hyped!

It may have taken me a long time to cross this one off of my to-do list but I'm certainly go back for more... I only had one but I hear these things sneak up on you!

The other highlight of our evening was a random goatee-d man who dropped this note in front of Lindsey and walked away... I mean, really, who does that?! If you call the number, leave a comment below! LOL

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!

René of the Day // 6.30.11 // Dancing Wasabi 2: Hyde Park

Could it be? Great sushi in walking distance of my place - for half price? Reason #213 to live in Hyde Park. It's incredible how when I worked at Beluga, the uber-trendy sushi pan-Asian restaurant off the square, they would never succumb to half price deals. But as the economy slid and their former sushi chef Charlie opened Dancing Wasabi on Mt. Lookout Square, it became apparent that they'd have to sack it up and do half price, at least once a week. I think Cincinnati loves that almost ever sushi spot in this area now offers half price to stay competitive - people wait over an hour on the sidewalk for their maki in Mt. Lookout. Charlie made a brilliant business decision. So brilliant that Beluga closed it's doors and Dancing Wasabi recently opened their second location there - you know you're going gangbusters when you can open a second location literally less than 2 miles away and still fill the house in both restaurants.

Of course, the former Beluga space is much bigger and still has a lot of the pricey decor. I do think they've cheapened it up a bit - massive TV over the bar, huge plants lining the stairs as you walk in and they've replaced the dj booth in the corner with a round white wood table. But this is what the people want - it's fun, affordable and decent food. They've expanded their menu now that they have a larger nicer kitchen but I think I'll always stick to the sushi. I think I've tried all 20+ rolls at this point and there's never been one that I wouldn't try again. The service was fantastic - every employee we passed greeted us warmly and our server was attentive without being annoying. To be honest, I doubt I'll go back to the Mt. Lookout location - it has a tinge of a funky smell and I can walk to the new one. Arigato, Charlie!