Discussion: Flying (pig) Distraction

Looking for something ''different'' to do while at this year's Pig? I would like to suggest a Major League Baseball game. (I offer this for two reasons. First, I can't remember the last time a game was scheduled during the Pig. Second, last year I had people come up and ask me about things to do in the area.)

The Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies will play in downtown Cincinnati at Great American Ballpark Friday night at 7:10pm. The ballpark is pretty new, and it is right on the Ohio river. The parking is plentiful, within a 2-4 block radius, and it is safe to walk around. Best of all, it's affordable: (Well, the tickets are, anyway.)

I spoke with a Reds representative on Tuesday who said there are ''hundreds'' of bleacher seats available in the sections she was looking at. And I thought that would be a good place to sit in case orienteers coming from near and far would like to sit close to each other and congregate during the game. Best of all, the tickets are only $7; yep, seven bucks!

Rather than ramble on anymore at this time, I thought I would just throw the idea out for comments. I will be happy to provide additional information about pricing, parking, web links and such, if anyone is interested.

David Williams, OCIN

Speaking of after-hours distractions, I have a question for anyone from Cincinnati: As a fan of old downtowns, I like visiting Cincinnati because it has one of the most historic old downtowns in the midwest. I guess it was a trading and industrial center since the C&O canal days...

Ten years ago we used to like to explore the section of downtown Cincinnati people were calling "Over the Rhine." Lots of interesting restaurants, small theaters, art galleries, etc. People seemed to be making new investments in this neighborhood, and loft condos were selling briskly.

But last year when we went back to have dinner there, we couldn't find even one restaurant still open.....what happened? We ended up in a mall dining (?) at Ruby Tuesdays.

Are there any older neighborhoods near the Pig where unique small restaurants still flourish, other than Mt Adams?

Clark, sorry for the delay in responding. I've been out of town, AND I have to report that I have little to report.

Over the Rhine has been an urban redevelopment project for as long as I've lived here. It sounds like you first came upon it during one of its peaks.

Regarding restaurants, perhaps someone else can make some suggestions; I'm not one for dining out. On the other hand, if you care to indulge your sweet tooth, be on the lookout for Graeters Ice Cream or any Busken or Serivalli bakery--between the 3, there are more than 30 of them throughout the area.

Clark, you hit the nail on the head when you refer to the neighborhoods of Cincinnati. I think it's what gives Cincinnati its character; it's just one neighborhood after another. For instance, I am a Cincinnati resident, but to other residents I live in Pleasant Ridge. And the neighborhoods that surround me are Kennedy Heights, Oakley, Hyde Park, Roselawn, Bond Hill and Paddock Hills. Each of these areas is within the city limits, yet each has its own characteristics, and in may cases its own elementary schools, churches and library branches.

Here's an update and some comments about the baseball game.

First, turnout is definitely taking on a youthful appearance at this point. The entire HOC delegation will be attending the game, the vast majority being Juniors. (The overall total stands at over 20 so far.)

Second, night games are usually over by 10pm. If the game is running long, I will consider leaving before the end in order to get my 13-year-old to bed at a reasonable hour. Also, I requested that Katie have a later start time Saturday morning. (Of course, relating to the latter, it's not logistically possible for EVERYONE to get a late start, and Mike is assigning the start times today, but he usually tries to accomodate whenever possible.)

Third, one can easily spend hundreds at the ballpark. BUT, one can also be very thrifty by:
-- saving on parking by walking an extra block or 2
-- avoiding ticket fees by purchasing at the game
-- avoiding concession fees by bringing in bottled water and peanuts

Finally, I was asked about the Saturday game. It's a day game, 1:10pm.

For me, it's not a visit to Cincinnati without some Skyline Chili!

Agreed.

However, if you are in/near downtown Cincinnati, I recommend Camp Washington Chili, which has been serving it up for 65+ years.

http://www.campwashingtonchili.com/

Yeah....Camp Washington... Wasn't that the neighborhood where the second sprint event was held at the 2007 Pig: Burnet Woods? I believe we drove up Hopple from Exit 3 on I-75, over to Burnet Wood

I guess Camp Washington Chili is on Hopple, 3 blocks west of I-75. Great! An O map and classic Cinti chili within 1000m of each other!

Okay, I ended up with 2 extra tickets for Friday night's ballgame. If anyone is interested, they can be had for $5 each. And, of course, you will be surrounded by outstanding company. ;-)

Now, on to what has become the true topic of this thread: restaurants!

As I wrote before, I don't dine out much so I'm not normally a person make recommendations. But there are 2 restaurants I should mention because of their national notoriety.

The first is Pompilio's -- Italian cuisine. It is actually in Kentucky, but it's right across the river. It was founded in 1933, so they must be doing something right. Even if you haven't heard of it you may have seen the inside of it, because this was the restaurant that was used for the famous ''toothpick scene'' in the Dustin Hoffman/Tom Cruise movie, ''Rain Man.'' Check out their website at http://www.pompilios.com/ and read up on their history.

Then there is The Montgomery Inn -- Ribs. Once again, the ''original'' is not actually in Cincinnati, but in -- you guessed it -- Montgomery. They've been known for shipping their ribs anywhere in the country since long before it's become fashionable. People swear by them; and that's another part of their reputation -- their clientele. The walls of their 3 restaurants are covered with memorabilia from local and national sports figures, but they have also fed many other very famous notables. In fact, when I first moved here, I remember hearing an ad on the radio featuring BOB HOPE. I'm guessing that ol' Bob didn't do it because he needed the money. If you go to this website, click on ''Our Restaurants'' then ''People Are Talking'' http://www.montgomeryinn.com/.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the two recommendations for dining. We'll definitely stop by Pompilio's when we're over in Newport visiting our favorite bar: the Hofbrauhäus! Love that oompah band and those big tankards of beer!

But see? Nothing in downtown Cincinnati.