Category: News

Original stories from the UrbanCincy team.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Bearcats finish 3rd in BCS, will play Florida Gators in Sugar Bowl

The University of Cincinnati Bearcats finished the college football regular season undefeated and #3 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) national rankings. The top three teams all boast undefeated records and all hail from BCS affiliated conferences (SEC, Big XII, Big East respectively).

The win over Big East rival Pittsburgh on Saturday secured the Bearcats back-to-back Big East football championships, and their second straight BCS bowl game appearance. Last year the Bearcats struggled against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl and lost 20-7. This year the Bearcats will travel to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl to take on the Tim Tebow-led Florida Gators who are coming off a crushing defeat in the SEC Championship Game to Alabama.

Tim Tebow is arguably one of the greatest competitors in college football, and ended the game against Alabama crying on the sidelines. It will be a test to see if Florida comes ready and prepared for the Bearcats’ offensive onslaught, or if they’ll be disappointed about missing out on a chance to play for the National Championship which most people believed they would do from the beginning of the season until just now.

The Gators have a terrific defense, but so far there really has not been a defense that has been able to slow down the Bearcats’ prolific offense led by Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard. Instead the best defensive strategy has been to just keep the Bearcats offense off the field by running a slow paced offense that eats of game clock.

Will Tim Tebow and company be able to keep the Tony Pike and company off the field? Will the Bearcats’ young defense be able to scheme for Tebow and the fast-strike Gators? Will Bearcats coach Brian Kelly still be around to coach in the game on January 1, or will there still be talks of him leaving acting as distractions? Will Urban Meyer and his coaching staff have similar problems as they entertain other coaching opportunities? In a nutshell, who will come ready to play?

The game will be played on Friday, January 1 at 8:30pm in New Orleans. Bowl Central is the spot to get all the information on the game including tickets, travel accommodations, and game notes. This is the Bearcats second BCS bowl game appearance, and their first appearance at the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Categories
News

Whoa, Who Arted?

In case you’re still looking for something else to do this Saturday night there is a art show at the Leapin’ Lizard gallery in Covington that sounds interesting. As you may have guessed, the name of the show is “Who Arted?”

The show starts at 7pm at the Leapin Lizard (map) along Main Street in Covington, and it features LPs as art! Yes, you know old school vinyl records? Well over fifty artists have taken them and created pieces of art that will be on display, and of course for sale. The cost to get in is just a mere $2 and there is a cash bar once you are inside. All the rest of the details can be found here including links to many of the artists homepages out on the interwebs.

If you are headed over, you may consider dinner at Europa which run by the same folks that run Angelina’s Fine Foods at Findlay Market. It is only about a two blocks north (that’s towards the river Ohioans) from Leapin Lizard and choices include one of the many sandwiches they offer, or a more formal dinner menu which they started just last week. If nothing else, they have some great gelato for a post Who Arted snack.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment Business News

Main Street Shop & Stroll this weekend in OTR

Well, another weekend is here and so is another reason to come out and support your local establishments in downtown Cincinnati. Last weekend was “Holidays in the Bag” in Over-the-Rhine’s Gateway Quarter, and this weekend you have the Main Street Holiday Stroll & Shop! Ever been to Second Sunday on Main? Well, it is kind of like that which means fun places, fun people, and fun things!

The main difference between this and Second Sunday? Well, Main Street Stroll & Shop officially runs Saturday from 11am to 7pm and Sunday from 12pm to 5pm. While you can go at any time, I highly recommend going early on Saturday. You see, in conjunction with Stroll & Shop the Art Academy will be holding its annual Snowflake Sale. While their site says that it runs until 3pm, I have seen 2pm elsewhere so come early and check it out so you don’t miss it.

Whenever you go, there are plenty of places to visit on north Main Street. The only holdover from “Holidays in the Bag” is Atomic Number 10 which will be participating with nearly every other establishment along the stretch of Main between 13th and Liberty streets. As you probably already know there are a ton of art galleries on that stretch as well as a bunch of unique shops where you can find that gift that you cannot find anywhere else. While there is no “official” discount feel free to ask each merchant about exclusive holiday specials.

Surely you are bound to work up an appetite or get thirsty along the way! There are many options to choose from including Mixx Ultra Lounge, Iris BookCafe, and Shadeau Breads right there along Main Street. Of course there are a few just off Main like Grammers, Lucy Blue, and Coffee Emporium.

So get out and find some fun gifts this weekend, support your local businesses, and experience some of the magic of downtown! A few other things worth checking out include the ice rink at Fountain Square and the Duke Energy Train Display. Of course, you could just be a little adventurous and find your own way around!

Categories
News

Come get your wings at "It’s A Wonderful Life"

The holiday season brings with it a bevy of Christmas-related theater productions. From the Nutcracker to Miracle on 34th Street, we’ve seen these classics as many times as we’ve watched the Charlie Brown special on TV. They speak to us, and trigger memories of happy Christmases past.

However, if you’re looking to spice up your weekend with a new twist on an old favorite, you should definitely check out the Falcon Theater’s production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: the Live Radio Drama.” The tale of George Bailey from Bedford Falls takes on a whole new meaning when performed by 8 voice actors, 3 sound artists and 3 musicians. The talented cast of 13 people, along with director Michael Potter, transport the audience back to the 1940s and the Golden Age of Radio. The Falcon Theater is currently celebrating its 20th season, and has conducted a reprise season of all their favorite shows. “It’s a Wonderful Life” was originally performed last year, and was a shoo-in for the Falcon Christmas show.

It’s A Wonderful Life photos provided by Falcon Theater.

The actors and actresses in this show are not wearing character costumes. They stand at the microphone, scripts in hand, and weave the tale of discovering how wonderful life is using only their voice talents. It seems strange at first, but it is enthralling and interesting to watch as Nathan Ruggles switches “characters” from Old Man Potter to Uncle Billy and back again… all in the same scene! Watching the Foley sound artists (David Levy, Amber Potter, and sound apprentice Tyson Levy) make realistic sound effects using everyday objects is another treat as well.

From the moment the “On Air” light comes on until the announcer (Jim Bussy) signs off at the end of the night, radio magic is happening, and it is fantastic. If you close your eyes during the shoe, it is easy to imagine the sounds coming through the speaker of the old Atwater-Kent back at Grandma’s house.

Yes, going to see a Christmas Carol (again) this year will be fun, I’m sure. However, if you’re looking for a truly unique experience, don’t miss It’s A Wonderful Life, the Live Radio Drama. As an added bonus, UrbanCincy writer Jenny Kessler will be reprising her role as a Jingle Belle (commercial singer) – even more reason to go check it out!

“It’s a Wonderful Life: the Live Radio Broadcast” is playing the next two weekends (12/4-12/6 and 12/11-12/13) with Friday and Saturday performances at 8pm and Sunday matinees at 3pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. The Falcon Theater is located at 636 Monmouth Street in Newport, KY (map). You can order tickets here or call the box office at (513) 479-6783.

Categories
Arts & Entertainment News

Hopnosis At the Comet

For those of you looking to get your brew on this weekend, the Comet in Northside is hosting a rotating beer tasting tonight (Thursday), Friday and Saturday evenings. It’s almost like a music festival, only with beer:

Every hour on the hour a new beer gets rotated into the line up, and there is a list of new brews each night. This is the list for the beer lineup, though it is unlikely that this is the order in which they will appear. If we get any more information on this event, we will let you know.

Thursday:
Thirsty Dog: 12 Dogs
Allagash: Tripel
Green Flash: Barleywine
Dogfish Head: Burton Baton
Brooklyn: Black Chocolate Stout (’08)
Green Flash: Hop Head Red
Bell’s: Rye Stout
Brooklyn: Backbreaker
Founders Sappy Slappy Bastard
Great Divide: Chocolate Yeti
SPRL Brasserie Léon Huyghe: Delirium Noël
Victory: Storm King
Brasserie Dupont: Avec les bons Voeux
Avery: 16th Anniversary

Friday
Anchor: Foghorn (’09)
Great Divide: 15th Anniversary
Brew Kettle: Old 21
Founders: Breakfast Stout
Dogfish Head: Red and White
Southern Tier: Pumking
Victory: Yakima Twilight
Dark Horse: Scotty Karate
Otter Creek: Russian Imperial Stout
Boulder Brewing: Killer Penguin
Avery: Dugana
Allagash: Four
New Holland: Brother Jacob
Avery: The Czar
Founders: Sappy Slappy Bastard

Saturday
Southern Tier: Back Burner
Left Handed: Warrior IPA
Founder’s: Imperial Stout
Troëgs: Mad Elf
Rogue: Yellow Snow
Bell’s: Third Coast Old Ale (’08)
Rogue: Mogul
Brooklyn: Monster (’09)
Two Brothers: Heavier Handed
Otter Creek: Quercus Vitis Humulus
Clipper City: Big Dippa
Weyerbacher: Quad
Anchor: Christmas Ale (’09)
Southern Tier: Crème Brûlée