Stopped by the Statue of James A. Garfield while walking through Piatt Park and was really…read moreimpressed. The statue is beautifully detailed and sits in a peaceful spot that makes it easy to stop and appreciate a little history. It's a great landmark in downtown Cincinnati and definitely worth checking out if you're exploring the area. A nice place to take a quick break, snap a few photos, and enjoy the park.

This statue of President James A. Garfield (20th POTUS, March to September 1881) stands in…read moreCincinnati's Piatt Park. An Ohio native, he served as a general in the Civil War and then nine terms in the US House of Representatives. He was the only sitting member of the House to be elected President. Garfield opposed the Confederate secession and was a major general in the Union Army, fighting in the battles of Middle Creek, Shiloh and Chickamauga. After taking office in March, he was shot in July 1881 but actually died two months later of the infection caused by the doctor's poor sanitation methods. I won't mention the assassinator's name. The oversize bronze statue shows Garfield wearing a knee length coat. He stands with his right foot forward and a stack of papers in his right hand with his left hand extended but palm down. It is by artist Charles Henry Niehaus and was unveiled in 1885. [Review 20501 overall - 228 in Ohio - 1482 of 2023.]

The living mural located in downtown Covington Kentucky is created by the artist group called "the…read moreLondon police". The mural is massive and features a dog with a space helmet and stick looking people with numbers counting up to 15. Kinds reminds me of the old highlights magazine games I would play as a child. While I'm not sure exactly what is happening in this mural or the meaning of it I do enjoy it. It's massive and fun. Also it is right across the street from another cool mural that features the plant from the movie little shop of horrors saying "feed me more". So a pretty cool area to check out for public art lovers.

Absolutely beautiful mural on the corner of Walnut and 5th St. depicting Niel Armstrong taking a…read morephotograph of Earth with the famous silhouette of Elliot from the movie E.T. on his bike flying across it. Neil Armstrong and his camera are painted in black and white but the rest of it is an explosion of color. It certainly catches your attention while you're walking or driving down the street and I love it. A few fun facts... Niel Armstrong is from Ohio and he was also a professor of aeronautics at the University of Cincinnati. The mural was created by a Brazilian street artist named Eduardo Kobra who painted it right after doing a huge mural in Rio for the 2016 Olympics. It's located on the giant Fifth Third Bank headquarters building, which is who funded it. Cincinnati is known for its many murals and this one definitely stands out for its vibrant colors and downtown location. If you ever get the chance to explore, I highly suggest doing a mural tour and checking this one out.

I love this mural. It is an explosion of color.This mural was funded by Fifth Third Bank, with the…read moremural being painted on the side of its headquarters. This mural is the work of Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra, who is know for his larger than life colorful murals. He painted it in 2016. The mural takes up the entire side of the building, covering 7,600 square feet. The mural depicts Armstrong, an Ohio native, behind a camera. Armstrong's face is in black and white, while everything else is rainbow. I love the contrast they make. You will see a small 3D image of Earth in the upper right corner. Nice touch! If you look closely, you will see, a silhouette of Elliot and his floating bike from the Steven Spielberg hit movie, E.T. Spielberg happens to also be an Ohio native. Construction in the area has really limited metered street parking to get a closer look of this mural. There is still some in a reasonable waking distance. I parked about a quarter mile away. There are also commercial garages and lots you can park in, but they are pretty pricy. I love this mural and Kobra is one of my favorite artists. It is definitely worth a peak and will surely grab your attention. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other murals in the area or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I just did a mural tour. There are a ton within about a half mile of each other.

I'm Right Here Mural is a massive and nice mural located on the exterior wall of popular Newport…read moreKentucky Newport on the levee. Best viewable and visible from the large roundabout you hit before entering te levee area. Mural is well done and has a comic strip type vibe to it. Pays homage to all of the hero's in the healthcare industry. An industry that has been through it especially these last few years. So a very nice way to pay tribute to these folks. Overall a beautiful mural and a great addition to the Newport Kentucky area.

The best way to describe the location of this mural is that it is on the loading dock wall on the…read morefar left exterior (as facing it) of the Newport on the Levee shopping area. It was a collaborative effort between St. Elizabeth Health Care and ArtWorks and was painted in 2021. Evan Hildebrandt served as the lead artist on the mural and managed a team of six apprentices to paint it. The mural is painted in a comic-book style and depicts a health care worker wearing a mask saying "I'm right here." There is a speech bubble in the lower left corner that says "Thank you." I am assuming that is from any member of the general public. On the top of the mural you will see a banner that reads "THE HEALTHCARE HEROES SAVE THE DAY." The mural uses basically 3 colors, blue, green, and white. Even though, there are only a few colors used in the mural, it still works for me. I like the message and join with the people behind the mural and would like to say thank you to all the healthcare workers out there. Even though the mural is a bit after the height of COVID, it is never too late to say thank you. For those that would like to park and get a closer look, there are a ton of commercial garages available to park, that all have varying rates. Anyway, as with most murals that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions such as the Levee, and aquarium or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip.

If you love cardio/spinning, you need to go to Cyclebar located in Hyde Park. From time to time…read morethey like to throw small events or get togethers. Rock the Bridge is our huge event of the year. The party was at the Newport Southbank Bridge (aka Purple People Bridge). This is exclusive to Cyclebar riders, however you were able to sign up friends and family on the website. All rides (spinning class), food, drinks, and activities were free. This was my most memorable and favorite event of the year. 75 riders were able to go spinning on the bridge. We also had our own personal DJ for the cyclebeats! The weather was perfect and loved the view of the Cincinnati Skyline! There were 4 different times to sign up. 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. All with different instructors. My friend and I did the 7:00 p.m. with Bethany and Sammy! You get to choose your own bike. Water and hand towels were provided. If you did not want to ride, you are still invited to enjoy the other activities. This is also for a great cause. All proceeds and donations go to the American Heart Association. I donated and did not know you get your choice of a tank, sunglasses (they offered more, I got the tank). Activities: *Free shuttle service from CB Hyde Park to the Purple People Bridge before, during and after the event. *You had to be there 30 minutes before your ride to check-in and get your shoes. If you are not checked in 15 minutes before your ride, your seat will be given up. *Free rental on cycling shoes when you present your ID in exchange *Free bag check and changing rooms available if you want to bring a change of clothes. *Food and beverages (craft beers, white wine, coke products) will be provided all evening. Vendors: Mama Mimi's (my favorite was the vegetarian pizza! So good!!), Street Chef Brigade (offered pulled pork sandwich and hamurger), and Current Catering. *You can participate in their dunking booth, jousting and bungee run games for a chance to enter our raffle and win a 10 free ride pass. *Grab your friends and family for a souvenir group photo at the TapSnap photo booth. *Fireworks show at 9:50pm, presented by Queen City Pyro Productions. *Live band, Johnny Clueless, will play from 10pm-midnight Since I had to work the next day, I wasn't able to stay for the Fireworks and the live band. All I have to say that this event was EPIC! The bridge was all ours!! Cyclebar definitely knows how to throw a party! I can't wait for the next event!! Besides the events, I really enjoy spinning at Cyclebar. The instructors are top notch and the music playlist is off the hook! I've also met so many wonderful people and at the same time I am keeping fit! I am proud to be a part of the Cyclebar crew!! Thanks Cyclebar for all you do for your riders!!!

Rock the Bridge was the end of the summer spinning party for CycleBar. CycleBar is a spinning…read morestudio in Hyde Park. They offer climate controlled spinning classes in a theater with an awesome sound system and the best instructors. They also add value to their classes via metrics visible on the bike, free towel rental, shoe rental, fruit, water and water bottles (sometimes they also have premium juice, coffee, or frozen yogurt). Rock the Bridge was an outdoor event on the purple people bridge with all proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association. Five different ride times (5, 6, 7, 8, and 9) each featured two cyclestars (instructors). Two video screens highlighted the instructors and the participants (up to 75 of them). A live dj provided awesome beats. Tank tops were available for donors. Pizza from Mama Mimi's and burgers and pulled pork from Street Chef Brigade were available for all participants free of charge. Water, soft drinks, beer, and wine were also available to participants free of charge. There were also bounce house type things and a picture station. Getting the bikes, shoes, and crew to the bridge was an incredible feat (they even offered shuttle service from the studio). This was an outstanding party and definitely one I will remember. I hope to see a similar event next year!

The Pete Rose Statue is one of the highlights outside Great American Ball Park and an absolute must…read morevisit for any baseball fan. The sculpture does an incredible job capturing the hustle, determination, and intensity that earned Pete Rose the nickname "Charlie Hustle." The level of detail is outstanding, making it feel like you're witnessing one of his legendary moments on the field. It's a perfect place to stop for photos and to reflect on the remarkable career of baseball's all time hits leader. Whether you're a lifelong Reds fan or simply appreciate the history of the game, this statue is a powerful tribute to one of Cincinnati's greatest baseball icons and adds so much to the ballpark experience.

Statue of baseball and Cincinnati reds legend Pete rose located outside his former team home…read moreStadium great American ballpark in Cincinnati Ohio. Pete rose is a should hall of famer who played on what many consider the greatest baseball dynasty ever of the big red machine in the mid 1970's. He is major leauge baseball all time hit leader and he captured the game with his relentless approach and hustle as the statue here depicts him sliding into a base. He was nicknamed Charlie hustle for reasons like this statue portray. Due to gambling rules Pete rose is still banned from being in the mlb hall of fame. However his old team still found ways to honor him like this statue. The mans accolades include being baseballs all time hit leader, 17 time all star and 3 time World Series champion. Truly deserving of this honor and much more. It's time baseball allow the hit king into the hall of fame. Several players have been forgiven for doing much worse things then gambling.

27 feet tall and installed in 1988 to celebrate the city's bicentennial, Metrobot stands mostly…read moreproud in front of the Contemporary Arts Center. Refurbished in 2014, he now has a dynamic digital sign and an electronic message board. Metrobot is the work of Nam June Paik, a Korean-American artist who works out of the Solway Gallery. The artwork is on the streets of downtown Cincinnati and you can't miss it when you're visiting the museum. And while I usually love getting FTR's, I'm really pleased to see that the Cincinnati Yelp community spotted this artwork and added it to the Yelpiverse! Compliments all around! [Review 20497 overall - 224 in Ohio - 1478 of 2023.]

Cannot believe the Cincinnati's Metrobot had not been reviewed yet!…read more It's a staple of Cincinnati's downtown business district. Just a big shiny robot, smiling and sharing fun info on multiple screens! Go see it, he is cool!

No, no, no... it's not cannibalism of football players. Taste of the NFL is an annual event that…read moretakes place in hometown football stadiums across the country as a fundraiser for homelessness and hunger. The Cincinnati Bengals' Taste benefits one of my favorite charities: Freestore Foodbank. The event features 45 of the city's finest chefs and restaurants serving one or two delectable samples at each booth. The entire Bengals team and Ben-Gal Cheerleaders are in attendance at the event for guests to snap photos with and get autographs. There is also a gigantic silent auction, a live auction of event packages going for $2,000+, and of course, an open bar. There was more than enough food samples here to fill me up. Everything looked incredible; I wish I had room for more! Some of my favorites included: - Burnell's Restaurant: White bean hummus, shamander mutabal, and crispy flat bread. - Cincinnati Cooks! Catering: Cubano chicken, greens, bacon with fried cornbread. Spicy chicken cutlet on a sweet Hawaiian bun with paprika sauce. Key lime pie. - Sugar Cupcakery: Sweet corn cupcake with raspberry frosting. - Second Course: Seared shrimp & steak with lemon, cilantro and garlic. Gazpacho shots. - J. P. Chocolatier: Chocolate bacon truffle. - La Petite Pierre: Lobster ravioli with a saffron tomato sauce. - Aramark: Roasted garlic Dijon lamb with orange pepper risotto. - Jean Robert's Table: Spicy chicken confit salad with Mediterranean couscous. - Eat Well: Devils food whoopie pie. Pretty much everything was delicious. The only thing I didn't like was the martini from SkinnyGirl. The drink tasted watered down because they put ice in the mix to keep it cool. Bartending Basics 101: NEVER put ice in a martini! Price per person: $150.00 (Keep in mind, this is a fundraising event for charity. Every $150.00 provides 600 meals to those in need. And you definitely get your monies worth in unlimited fine food and free alcohol.)

I've had the pleasure of attending this event for the past 3 years in a row as a former Freestore…read moreFoodbank (FSFB) employee and loyal volunteer to the organization. Let me tell you this event does not disappoint. This event is one of the FSFB's most popular fundraisers for Cincy area foodies and football fanatics alike. The event is a great opportunity to get those Bengals autographs you've always wanted and the opportunity to eat and drink yourself into a food coma. At almost $200 for a ticket, you better believe that some of Cincy's best restaurants are showcasing what they've got. There are restaurants that I've seen represented every year, like my personal favorites Tom + Chee and Holtmans and of course Cincinnati classic Jeff Rubys. There are always new showings (or new to me showings) too. Some of the standouts to me this year: Taste of Belgium- They had a pulled pork and mango chutney topped waffle. Hello delicious. Alfio's Buon Cibo- The ravioli was spot on Nashville Hot- This was a new to me restaurant. It wasn't fancy or extravagent, just a tasty waffle with some tasty hot chicken. Jag's- I've sampled their food previous years and it's always tasty. Loved their creative smores dessert this year. Holtmans- You redeemed yourself from last year by not running out of donuts and from the previous years I've attended by providing FULL SIZED donuts (instead of donut holes) to us Tom + Chee- You'll have to wait in line for their delicious sandwiches but the owner is down to earth and keeps you entertained while you wait for your fresh and delicious DONUT GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH There were a bazillion other tasty bites but these are the ones I remember as standouts. PRO TIP if you come to this event- to make the most out of your ticket, definitely definitely have a "sharing buddy." This way you can try one of everything without having to toss half your tasting plate. Word of advice for the restaurants- While I love the larger portions this year, I felt like a lot of my bites got wasted because I only wanted a taste with over 20-30 other bites I needed to taste. It just seemed a bit silly to be wasting food at an event where the benefiting charity was a hunger relief organization. Can't wait to volunteer next year and all the years to come!