10 More Things I Like About Living Where I Do

The past couple days I've posted about some of the things I like about living where I do (in Hanover Township, just outside of Hamilton, in Butler County, Ohio). Turns out twenty just wasn't enough. Several more things have occurred to me since then. For example:

21. The Cincinnati Zoo. It's one of the nation's top zoos, and it's just forty-five minutes or so from our house. I don't make it there as often as I like, but it's a joy to be able to take the grandkids there from time to time (I took the photo at right with my iPhone on a recent visit with all three grandkids).

22. Local delicacies. Once upon a time, we lived outside this area. We had no Skyline Chili. No LaRosa's. No Graeter's ice cream. No Montgomery Inn ribs. No Izzy Kadetz. No goetta. No Frisch's Swiss Miss sandwich. No Barq's Root Beer. No French Chews. No Kahn's wieners (the wiener the world awaited). Life was sad. But now it's happy, happy, happy.

23. We don't get there often, but it's nice to have Jungle Jim's International Market nearby. We've gone there for a cheap date night. Just the restroom facilities are worth the price of admission. Which is nothing.

24. The Aronoff Center. Our budget keeps us from enjoying Cincinnati's arts scene more than we do, but I'm glad that less than an hour away is a first-rate theater venue like the Aronoff Center, downtown. We've enjoyed Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and other shows there. It's a great boon to our area.

25. Newport on the Levee is a wonderful shopping and entertainment complex just across the river from Cincinnati. It's another place we've enjoyed for a cheap date, as it's fun to just walk around and see the sights. They also host many different events there. And, of course, Newport on the Levee is also home to the wonderful Newport Aquarium.

26. The Holiday Drive-In Theater is just up the street from where we live. This historic (sixty-plus years old) drive-in is a relic of a bygone day...that still operates today. They show first-run movies, and occasionally feature theme nights and special events. The grounds also feature an oddity: old buses that have been parked there, and line the drive into the box office.

27. Traffic. Or the lack thereof. Having lived in and traveled through major metropolitan areas, I LOVE not having to fight traffic jams and snarls and so on. Not that our area is totally free of trouble-spots, traffic-wise. But relatively speaking, my traffic headaches are non-existent, and that's one great blessing of living where I do.

28. Local flavor. Literally. Like the Taste of Cincinnati, held every Memorial Day weekend. But also Opening Day for the Reds, which in Cincinnati is something of a major holiday, historically. And the Flying Pig Marathon, the May Festival, the Panegyri Greek Festival in Finneytown, Oktoberfest, Tall Stacks, the Festival of Lights, and more.

29. Kings Island. When our children were younger, we bought season passes to Kings Island, less than an hour's drive from our house. They could play all day, while I wrote on my laptop. Good times. In addition, another great amusement park--Cedar Point--is just a few hours north.

30. The main branch of The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, downtown, occupies a full city block. It is a wonderland for bibliophiles, and is chockfull of history and other resources. Plus, the northernmost branches of the library have served me well in the past, on those rare occasions when I couldn't find a book, CD, or DVD via my local library. They also host a great blog about...books and reading (duh).

Huh. That's thirty things I like about living where I do. And I still haven't exhausted the list. Maybe I'll add more sometime soon.

20 Things I Like About Living Where I Do (Pt. 2)

(continued from yesterday) I started yesterday to list twenty things I like about living where I do, here in Hanover Township, between Hamilton and Oxford, Ohio, north of Cincinnati. As I said yesterday, the list is in no particular order, so here are reasons #11-20:

11. Westover Retirement Community. On December 22, after a whirlwind car trip to and from Wichita, Kansas, I moved my dad back to Ohio (for the last seven years or so, he has lived in California, with or near one of my brothers). His new home at Westover Retirement Community is a mere three miles from our door. I'm so happy for the quality and proximity of this fine new home for my father.

12. Cobblestone Community Church. Just twelve minutes away is The Loft, the ministry facility of my church family. I love these people, and I can't even begin to describe what this spiritual community has taught me and done for me over the years.

13. Vacations. Living in the area we do, we have some great places to vacation within driving distance. For the last couple years, we have owned a week at the luxurious Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And that's just the beginning. There's Story, Indiana. Mackinac Island, Michigan. Amish country in Holmes County, Ohio. Ravenwood Castle, in Vinton County, Ohio. Red River Gorge, in Kentucky. Cincinnati, Columbus, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Louisville--all within a half-day's drive.

14. Lane Library. I posted about this wonderful library a few days ago. I use the heck out of the Hamilton and Oxford branches of this library.

15. Great American Ballpark. There was a time, in the mid-eighties (when Marge Schott was the owner), when in spite of a very busy schedule, I attended 15-20 Reds' home games a year. These days, I neither follow professional sports nor attend them like I once did. But I do nonetheless enjoy an occasional Reds' game. And their Great American Ballpark is a fine place to cheer them on.

16. Fine Dining. In close proximity to our home are some of the best dining experiences a person could ever hope to have. Paesano's (Oxford). The Golden Lamb (Lebanon). The Grand Finale (Woodlawn). The Precinct (Cincinnati). Rileybrook Inn (Brookville, IN).

17. Memory Lane. I love being in the Cincinnati area, which holds so many fond memories for me and my family, from the Silverton home I grew up in (right) to many places Robin and I enjoyed when we were dating, and beyond: downtown Cincinnati, Mt. Adams, Finneytown, Reading, Kenwood, Eden Park, Fountain Square, Hyde Park, Mariemont, West Chester, Lebanon, and more.

18. Museums. Some of the finest museums in the world are a short drive from our home. There's the awesome Museum Center in Cincinnati, in the former Union Terminal building. The Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park. The Underground Railroad National Freedom Center downtown. And the Children's Museum of Indianapolis. Great stuff.

19. Ohio Bookstore. At 726 Main Street in downtown Cincinnati is one of my favorite spots. Five floors of books. Quaint, old-fashioned, chock-full of books. May it live forever. I also enjoy the Lane Library book sale every May (at the Butler County Fairgrounds in Hamilton) and the Cincinnati Public Library sale in June, I think. And another bookstore, in nearby Shandon, is also a treasured place.

20. Family. Who knows how long this will last, but the BIGGEST reason I like where I live is the proximity to my family. My son and daughter-in-law and their two children live just ten miles away, in Oxford. My daughter and son-in-law and their daughter own a home in Monroe, just twenty minutes away (and they currently live with us while renting their home and paying off medical bills, school loans, etc.). This heaven-on-earth could change anytime, I know, but there are no words to express how blessed I feel to have my children and grandchildren so close, and to see them so often, and to worship and minister with them every week.

There are more reasons I like living where I do. I like the change of seasons. I like the friendliness of the people in the area. I like the German heritage and architecture of Cincinnati. The many statues in Hamilton. The generally reasonable prices. And much more.

20 Things I Like About Living Where We Do (Pt. 1)

The lovely Robin and I live in Hanover Township, Butler County, Ohio. The Hamilton city line is just a mile or so away. And I have been reminded in recent days and weeks just why I like it here. Here are 20 reasons off the top of my head, in no particular order:

1. I don't pay city taxes. Living in the township, my tax burden is a tad lighter than if I lived in Hamilton or Oxford or Cincinnati. And now that I no longer "work" in Oxford (as of Jan. 1), my 2011 taxes will be even lighter.

2. The Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is just a forty-minute drive from my house. I'm a Shakespeare fan, and I've seen his plays acted in several different places, including Coventry, England (and I hope some day to enjoy the Toronto Shakespeare Festival, among others). But these Cincinnati blokes do Shakespeare proud, time and time again!

3. We are equidistant from the Cincinnati and Dayton airports. Especially with my speaking and travel calendar increasing substantially in 2011 and beyond, this will become even more important. I much prefer flying out of Dayton, but living here gives me choices. I can be at either airport in 45 minutes.

4. Cincinnati's Playhouse in the Park (left), just forty minutes or so from our house! We've enjoyed numerous wonderful productions here, including (most recently) an excellent presentation of A Christmas Carol.

5. There is an Apple store at the Kenwood Mall, about 45 minutes from our house, which is a blessing to me and my Mactastic family. And, not coincidentally, it provides gainful employment for two of the men in our family!

6. I LOVE that our back yard (left) is a golf course (Twin Run, a public course operated by the city of Hamilton), and that we kinda live out in the country....BUT that just two miles away is a Meijer, Kroger, Walmart, Lowe's, Steak 'n' Shake, Applebee's, LaRosa's, Hobby Lobby, movie theater, Bob Evans, Texas Roadhouse, Sonic, Wendy's, McDonald's, KFC, our banks, a Staples, Walt's, Golden Dragon buffet, and more. I could wish that our situation was a little more "country living," but for convenience and lifestyle amenities, it doesn't get much better than this.

7. Hueston Woods (right), between Oxford and Eaton, is just a few minutes from our house. I love hiking there (in nicer weather than right now), we have baptized dozens of people there, and picknicked, and horsebacked, and eaten there.

8. Miami University. Just ten miles away in Oxford is the main campus of Miami University. Not only does this top-notch school employ many of my dear friends, but it also brings into my life many wonderful students, as well as top-shelf lectures and performances. We've also enjoyed occasional events at the MU Hamilton campus.

9. Country roads. I absolutely love driving the country roads around here. And, now that my ninety-year-old father is living nearby (see #11), I also enjoy his childlike "whee!" whenever we go over a whoopee hill (which we do every Sunday on our way to and from church).

10. Great Miami River. The history and beauty of this river, which flows through Hamilton, is a blessing. The lovely Robin and I have enjoyed a river walk to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness and for a memorable date night on the walkway in Trenton. Both are just a few miles from our home.

That's the first ten. I'll share ten more on this blog tomorrow, in part two.

Cincinnati Viewed from Mt. Auburn

I took this photo while visiting my mother-in-law this afternoon at Christ Hospital on Mt. Auburn. Not a clear day at all, but not a bad view from a fifth-floor hospital window, either.

Ryan's Tavern, Hamilton, Ohio

Ryan's Tavern, which celebrated two years in business this past Fall, has become one of my favorite places to eat in the area.

I meet there with my accountability partner (one of them) most Wednesdays for lunch. I'll often order the Dublin salad; today I enjoyed the Celtic salad, I think it was called; spinach leaves, apple slices, craisins, and pecans, with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.

I've never had a disappointing meal there, and the atmosphere and decor is very nice. It's a convincing Irish pub, too; the digital clock behind the bar is counting down the days and minutes till St. Patrick's Day.

Ryan's is located at 241 High Street, halfway between the giant Government Services Building and the historic courthouse. You should try it. Tell 'em Hoss sent you. It will mean nothing to them, but tell 'em anyway.

Lane Public Library, Hamilton, OH

Now that I'm writing full-time again, I have been and will be more often frequenting the historic Hamilton location of the Lane Public Library of Hamilton, Oxford, and Fairfield (previously I would use the Oxford branch, as I spent far more time in Oxford when working full-time for Cobblestone Community Church).

I love this library. It is housed in a historic building and features an octagonal lobby that was once the original library (see below).

The library itself was started by Clark Lane as a place for local factory workers to read (Hamilton is a paper mill town from way back, and this location is mere blocks from one of the mills). It later became Lane Free Library.

Renovations a few years ago further improved on the library's facilities. It's worth a visit if you love books...or architecture...or history.

Story, Indiana

One of our most memorable and restorative close-to-home getaways ever was to the south-central Indiana town of Story.

We were given a gift certificate by dear friends, or we would never have discovered this charming little town, beautifully preserved as a bed-and-breakfast in Brown County. That's right, the whole town is a bed-and-breakfast, from the General Store to the covered bridge and Treaty House, an old sawmill that has been renovated into a cottage (the structure sits on the historic Ten ‘O Clock Treaty line, named for a treaty between Governor William Henry Harrison and the Miami Indians which opened three million acres to white settlement, the boundary being a line running from Raccoon Creek on the Wabash River near Montezuma to Seymour, marked by a shadow cast at 10:00 a.m. each September 30. Today, that line is denoted by a carved limestone monument in the center of Story’s village green, right next to the Treaty House. The village green also abuts the Wheeler House, pictured below).

According to The Story Inn's website, "The village of Story itself was founded in 1851, with the grant of a land patent from President Millard Fillmore to Dr. George Story. This original land patent is on display at the Story Inn. Dr. Story was a medical doctor who hailed from a clan of timber harvesters in southern Ohio. He and his progeny built many of the structures which distinguish this town today from the then-ample supply of domestic hardwoods. His home and medical office nearby both managed to survive the forces of entropy."

The lovely Robin and I stayed in the Wilkerson House, a cottage with a queen-sized bed, full kitchen, private bedroom, covered porch, private bath with bathtub, and vaulted ceiling with a ceiling fan. I liked it most of all for the porch, which faced the General Store and had a rocking chair, where I could sit and sip coffee and read all morning. Which I did.

Wanna know how quaint and authentic Story is? One morning, while sipping coffee and reading on the porch, I heard the clip clop of horses approaching at a walk. Before long, a party of five or six horsemen tied off their horses at the rail in front of the General Store and walked into breakfast.

The meals at the General Store (breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily) were exquisite, and the General Store's creaky wooden floors, pot-bellied stove and long-retired Standard Oil Crown gas pumps out front, were fascinating. Nearby Nashville, Indiana (thirteen miles or so), offered entertainment and shopping choices. And the Brown County State Park actually encompasses Story.

If you enjoy a country pace, small town charm, great food, relaxing accommodations, and a chance to breathe in the authentic history of a place, visit Story. It is well worth it.