Basil 1791, Hamilton Ohio

I hated to see Ryan's Tavern (a Hamilton tradition operated by great friends) go last year, but I was interested to try Basil 1791, the new restaurant that took its place at 241 High Street in Hamilton (the “1791” part of the name is a reference to the year Hamilton--as Fort Hamilton--was founded).
The inside of the restaurant looked bigger than Ryan's, but I couldn't figure out why, because the bar and the staircase still define the west and east walls of the restaurant, and some of the furnishings seemed unchanged. But the menu was quite different. It's an Asian bistro (stir fry, sushi, Pho, Pad Thai, etc.) but with burgers and vegetarian options as well. I ordered the pineapple rice stir fry with chicken, and it was delicious. And a huge portion. I took a good bit of it home. 

According to a newspaper article on the restaurant, more is planned: a garage door (at right in the photo above) will allow for outdoor dining and a thirty-bottle bourbon bar is in the works. 

Basil 1791 is open Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. 


Trinity Episcopal Church, Hamilton OH

I love the church, and churches. So I seized the opportunity yesterday to worship at the historic, beautiful Trinity Episcopal Church in Hamilton, Ohio--a church I had passed and admired often but had never joined for worship.
I parked on the street so I could enter through the Lychgate, a replica of the one which stands before the home parish of Sir Winston Churchill in the United Kingdom.
The 10:30 am Eucharistic Service was led by the Reverend Suzanne LeVesconte, the rector of the church. I so enjoyed the warm welcome I received (even encountering an old friend from my pastor days!) and the liturgy, sermon, and familial atmosphere only added to my worship. The flock and its church home are clearly lovingly and capably cared for.

Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 115 N 6th Street in Hamilton, Ohio.

Hamilton

Finally! I have long wanted to see the hit stage musical, Hamilton, and last Wednesday I finally did, tagging along in the company of the lovely Robin with my nephew Vince Montemurro as he treated his mother, my sister-in-law Mariruth, for her birthday.
It wasn't cheap but it sure was fun. The CIBC Theatre in Chicago is a stately place for Hamilton, Burr, Washington, Jefferson, and the Schuyler sisters to sing, rap, and dance their way through the momentous events of America's founding. I managed to refrain from singing along and only cried a few times. Being in the room where it happened was an experience I will long remember.