My Favorite Things - In Pictures!

I figure I should do a photo-list of some of my favorite things. Some are in Cincinnati, some are back home. All the pictures were taken over the last few years with my Canon point and shoot. Enjoy:


Animals:

Shelly - 11 years old. My favorite Calico. She's at my parent's house

Caley - 6 years old, I think. Also at my parent's house. I'm her favorite. When I'm at my parent's house she never leaves me and sleeps in the bed with me.

Ozzy - 3 years old. At the parent's house. Staffordshire Bull Terrier. The MOST energetic dog ever. And I'm allergic to his slobber.

Death Ray - 5 years old. My old roommate, Nick, and I got her when we lived on Euclid with some other guys. When she was a kitten, she would dart around the house and up and down the stairs. The name came from the fact that she seemed like she would take out anything in her path... like a death ray.

Maddy - 3 years old. Had her when Nick and I lived together. Two years ago, I gave her to my grandma. She is now much fatter.

 Plants (One of my new-found passions is horticulture):
             My mom's gardens:

           Krohn Conservatory:

Cincinnati: 

Downtown

West End and Queensgate with Union Terminal featured

Western Hills Viaduct

Fountain Square

Carew Tower - Where I currently work on the 28th and 29th floors
AND my beautiful girlfriend, Elyse

 New York City:

Chrysler Building from Empire State Building

Cincinnati in NYC

Grand Central Station

Church... can't remember which one now. St. Patrick's?

Hotel from Home Alone 

 Other:

BEER!!

Elyse at her 24th bday at Murphy's Pub in Clifton Heights. <3

I love urban 'ruins' - I spotted this in Eden Park.

Old Cincinnati Water Works building in Eden Park. I believe this building was the control building for the old reservoirs that were next door in the park.

Old retaining walls from the previously mentioned retaining walls.

Old wall that contained the lower reservoir.

Detail

This photo reminds me of something one might find in Rome or Greece.

Union Terminal - a beautiful art deco building. Formerly was the major train station for Cincinnati. Now houses the Cincinnati History Museum, Natural History Museum, Children's Museum, Cincinnati Historical Society, Omnimax Theatre, and Amtrak station with 3 day-per-week service with the Cardinal. Maybe someday we will see real passenger rail service return to this grand building

View from inside the rotunda. 

Nipper Stadium - one of the oldest college football stadiums in the country. Home of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats Football Team... and the Bearcat Bands

Cincinnati

I moved to Cincinnati in the fall of 2004 to attend the University of Cincinnati. As I said in my last post, I attended to major in Civil Engineering and later changed to Urban Studies. While in school, I have tried to immerse myself in the culture of Cincinnati as much as I could. My freshman year, I was lucky enough to have a car while I lived in the dorms. For nearly the first full year I lived in Cincy, I would drive around every weekend just exploring the city. I would set off in a direction and get myself lost and find my way back to the dorms. This was the way I learned my way around. 


My love for Cincinnati probably comes from where I grew up. Niles & Warren are small cities in northeast Ohio. I grew up in suburban Howland Township just outside Warren and Niles. The area is void of sidewalks and street-life like we are accustomed to in cities. I thought the Olive Garden and Applebee's were high class restaurants. Having a mall literally 2 minutes from my front door brought me up to think that shopping malls were the pinnacle of retail shopping. 


Moving to Cincinnati was some serious culture shock. I instantly fell in love - in love with the hills, the neighborhoods, the people, the architecture, the art scene. Everything. I discovered new foods - you think there are Indian or Vietnamese restaurants in Warren? (I do miss all the Italian food of the Mahoning Valley.) I discovered public transportation. Aside from a high school trip to New York (where I didn't even ride the subway), I had never even seen trains or buses (aside from school buses). Now, I ride Metro to work or school almost everyday. I rarely drive my car anymore. Just once a week to Kroger for my weekly grocery run. 


Ever since discovering UrbanOhio.com, I've also fallen in love with the urban issues revolving around Cincinnati. I have read nearly every article and research document publicly available regarding the Streetcar projects, the Banks, Washington Park renovation, Great American Tower, 3CDC's OTR projects, and many others. I have taken to fighting the good fight on Facebook and other blogs trying to get out the facts about projects that I, after much research and deliberation, have determined to be good and beneficial to the city. And while I am not judge, jury and executioner for the goings-on of the City, and everyone is welcome to their own opinions, I want people to understand that mine are grounded in research and the facts.


I care deeply for Cincinnati. I have defended her to many of my friends (most of whom are native Cincinnatians). I have also made new friends as a result of this. People tend to band together for common causes. We saw this for Issue 9 in 2009 with the coalition of Cincinnatians for Progress. We're seeing it develop again today for those who are looking to salvage a plan for the 3-C Rail Corridor after Governor-elect John Kasich is calling for its death. 


This all has led me to the conclusion that Cincinnatians are a deeply passionate people - about their chili, their politics, their neighborhoods, there high schools - the list goes on and on.