Welcome Lavomatic

As a neighbor my nose has smelled the delights of Jean Robert's newest establishment in OTR. When I've parked by car I've smelled the aroma of what I don't know, but it is tempting. I've not been by, it was packed on Tuesday. I am looking forward to their Brunch starting next weekend. I've noticed that parking on the street is at a premium. I wonder how busy it will be tonight with Final Friday going on. This is a prideful day for my Neighborhood. Now we just need another restaurant across the street!!!!

Witte Doesn't Get It

Pete Witte is a Westsider and supports the Westside strongly. In a letter to the editor Pete takes the typical Republican stance on public works by wanting to know when his streetcar will drive by Price Hill Chile. Pete goes on to show his lack of foresight by not see the potential of people living in OTR and Downtown. Pete, you will get yours when the city is able to build up new residents and therefore a bigger tax base. 20 and 30 somethings are not going to move to Price Hill in droves. Sure, OTR doesn't have the massive population it could have. Guess what, put in a street car and it will have a massive increase in residents.

The city is not going to grow its economy by focusing on neighborhoods that do not have the practical purpose of building a large economic base. Downtown, OTR, and Uptown are the core of City's Economy. OTR is lumped in because it is in the middle. Is that fair? Fair in governance doesn't mean that everything the government does has to be divided by an accountant to make sure that each person living in a Price Hill ally has a streetcar stop outside his humble abode. Instead government picks projects that IN THE LONG RUN will help the entire city. OTR has the potential that no other neighborhood in the city has to become a large and vibrant residential base.

Pete also I think suffers from suburbanitis. He, like John Cranley, appear to be focusing on preventing the Urban core of city and the region from become more urban. I don't know if Pete adheres to Cranley's philosophy of what I think is a miniature form of suburan Terra-forming. We live in a city. We do have suburbs. Suburbs exist because there is an urban core. No urban core, then the suburbs will fail. We will not be a Metro area that has anything to offer if we wipe away the urban core and replace it with a sprawling wasteland of conformity.

Yes, We Knew Cummingham Was an Ass

It is actually a good thing that the rest of Country is able to see that Bill Cunningham acts regularly like a complete asshole.

civility has left the GOP. I will praise John McCain for having some civility and trying to chide his party. He will have no impact. Cunningham has likely had a non-stop stiffy since he first spoke to a member of the press about this. Attention is Cunningham's crack and he is addicted.

Streetcar Update

The Finance committee meeting took place yesterday with now reports of a streetcar plan implosion. CityBeat has a good summation of the meeting. The Enquirer also has a article.

The Mayor Backs Obama

Add another super delegate for Obama. Anyone make it to the event at UC today? How was it?

Speaking of beer...

...the historic Grammer's will reopen this Thursday, just in time for Bockfest! It's got the Wades as backers, and is being managed by Ryan Breen (formerly of Greenup Cafe) and Lois Parker (formerly of the Coach and Four). Over-The-Rhine has lost some of of its old character, when the area was lined with beer halls and breweries, so it'll be interesting to get a small taste of what the area used to be like.

And just in time for Bockfest!

Mmm, Beer.

Finally, for now, in the interest of regionalism, I'll note that the Midwest Beer Festival is taking place in Covington today. 35 bucks gets you access to beer from 25 breweries, a buffet, and a souvenir glass.

On a related note, NPR recently discovered and reported on the best job ever. Try not to envy this guy too much.