Tajci at St. Cecilia's


The lovely Robin and I drove to Cincinnati this evening for a concert by Tajci, a Cincinnati-based musical artist of international renown, at St. Cecilia's Catholic Church on Madison Avenue in Oakley.

This being the Lenten season, she presented her musical program, "I Thirst," a beautiful blend of Scripture and music, accompanied by two others--one of whom was her younger sister Sanya. The sensitively offered spiritual content was bracketed with lively, personal information and musical selections. Late in the program, she was joined on stage by each of her three sons, who delighted us all. The music (both familiar and original) ranged from "You Lift Me Up" and "Via Dolorosa" to "This Little Light of Mine" and "What a Wonderful World."

Just delightful. I recommend it. The tour continues at St. Dominic's in Cincinnati (tomorrow, Feb. 28) and other venues in the area in the first days of March before moving west to Illinois and Missouri. See the website idobelieve.com for more information.

Two Valentines at Grand Finale




Crab cakes for appetizer. House salad. Lobster & cheddar bisque. Citrus scallops for her, chicken duo (ginger chicken and spinach chicken) for him. Puff pastry and decaf. And the best company.

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Red Robin Burger Wrap

Tonight was a first for me.

The lovely Robin and I shared a meal at Red Robin in West Chester with our daughter Aubrey and son-in-law Kevin. We both ordered a burger (mine was the Red's Tavern Double Burger, pictured) wrapped in lettuce rather than served in the usual big fluffy bun. It was delicious. Didn't miss the bun at all. The side salad was just okay, but it didn't need to do much. It was a satisfying meal, one I expect to repeat often in the future.

February 3, 2013, Sabbath Walk


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Jean-Robert's Table, Cincinnati, OH

It's not quite hidden, but Jean-Robert's Table at 713 Vine Street in downtown Cincinnati is nowhere near as prominent in location or appearance as it deserves to be.

I took the lovely Robin to this charming "urban restaurant serving contemporary food and drink rooted in tradition" (that's from their website) for our weekly date night, just before taking in Richard II at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company last Friday evening.

Man, what a great restaurant. The hostess, server, decor, ambiance--everything--was first class. We explained to our server that we had less than ninety minutes before our show started, and he assured us there would be no problem finishing a fine meal in that time. There wasn't.

We started with a salad of mixed greens, berries, cheese, and pecans in a fruity dressing. Absolutely marvelous.

The lovely Robin enjoyed the sea scallops with spring vegetables. Her moans of pleasure were a tad embarrassing.

I had one of the specials of the evening, an ocean trout, I think our server called it, and loved it.

We topped it all off by sharing a brown sugar crème brûlée, one of my favorites.

It wasn't cheap, by any means, but it was thoroughly satisfying. We made it to our show (just a block away) in plenty of time and with a vow on our lips to return to Jean-Robert's Table every chance we get.

Richard II at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company

The lovely Robin and I had the joy this evening of sharing together a fine performance of Richard II at the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company.

It has been too long since we've seen a play on the CSC stage (though we've enjoyed Shakespeare in the Park performances). The tickets were a gift from our favorite daughter, son-in-law, son, and daughter-in-law, front row center.

The story, of the power struggles between Richard II and Henry Bolingbroke (who became Henry IV)--and of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses--is a fascinating one, and it was ably acted and inspiringly staged. Anchored by the strong performances of Brent Vimtrup (Richard), Jim Hopkins (Bolingbroke), Nicholas Rose (York), and Joneal Joplin (John of Gaunt/Bishop of Carlisle), the play provoked laughter, tears, and a standing ovation at the end.

There are few things I like better than a good performance of Shakespeare's amazing lines...and this was certainly that.