City Goggles
City Goggles is a project uniquely highlighting the hidden gems of Cincinnati and other cities through videography.
City Goggles is a project uniquely highlighting the hidden gems of Cincinnati and other cities through videography. View the whole City Goggles project at www.CityGoggles.com
The Old Milford Parlor (Milford, OH)
Home of the World Famous Java Whip! Or at least it should be world famous. This treasure in Old Milford, a suburb of Cincinnati, is a must see stop. Located close to the Milford Bike Trail, I can't think of a better way to cool off by taking a break from your ride and stopping in. It's the perfect place for families because they have a full ice cream menu and full expresso and coffee menus too. Everyone walks/rides aways happy. They use locally roasted coffee from Lookout Joe that is Fair Trade Certified. They have a few dessert items on hand and we once hit the jackpot when they had locally homemade Baklava. The atmosphere is bright, old school, and laid back. There may be an old movie streaming or you may be as lucky as we were to have the privilege of watching Elvis in concert performing in his iconic caped 1970's jumpsuit.
The Cincinnati Observatory (Mount Lookout, OH)
I first visited the Cincinnati Observatory in high school on a fascinating field trip guided by Dean Regas, co-host of Star Gazers shown on PBS. I knew that someday I'd be back to film the beauty of ‘The Birthplace of American Astronomy.’ Tucked away on a little street in Mt. Lookout, you wouldn't know about this place unless you sought it out. I really want to entice people to come visit and see all the beauty contained here; it truly is a gem of Cincinnati and a major cornerstone in telescope history that predates the Civil War. When you walk into the main building you will feel as though you stepped back in time.
Just the words astronomy and observatory may sound intimidating. The staff is passionate about reaching out to people on all levels of the learning scale. There is a wide variety of classes and public events. Did you know that you can attend a public viewing on most Thursday and Friday nights throughout the year? Reservations are required for evening events.
The Cincinnati Observatory • 513.321.5186 • 3489 Observatory Pl, Cincinnati, OH 45208 • www.cincinnatiobservatory.org • dean@cincinnatiobservatory.org
KSB Miniatures Collection (Maysville, KY)
Maysville, Kentucky is only about an hour's drive from Cincinnati and is worth the trip for this museum alone! This is every grown "little girl's" dream come true, anyone who loves nostalgia or just appreciates fine craftsmanship. I can not emphasize enough how unbelievable this treasure is. This is not your grandma’s miniature doll house collection that she set up for the grandchildren to play with! The KSB Miniatures Collection is home to thousands of collectible miniatures created by some of the most talented miniatures artisans in the field and is located within the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center.
The 3,300-square-foot space packs in so much that it will take at least a minimum of 2-4 hours to see everything if you want to really enjoy yourself and for a limited time has expanded to the traveling exhibition hall displaying The Catherine Palace of St. Petersburg. This is the legendary winter residence in of the Russian tsars and on display with the palace are full-size Russian art pieces and artifacts. The crown jewel of the museum has to be The Spencer House, the magnificent recreation of the ancestral home of Princess Diana. Every detail has been replicated down to the "S" behind each doorknob.
There's a scavenger hunt for kids and I'd suggest even the adults take the challenge. You really have to stop and appreciate what has been crafted in each collection. It was so fun to hear the other ooh's and aah's echoing throughout the museum. The miniatures are one-twelfth-scale (one inch to one foot) and they include jewelry made of real gold and gems, rugs weaved on looms, violins that actually play.
A favorite is the corner soda shop/pharmacy and everything is set up just as Mrs. Browning remembers as a little girl down to her roller skates on the steps. Every season there are changes in the displays from adding holiday decorations to changing out whole window rooms. This can take Mrs. Browning and her assistant up to two weeks to change over. Every piece in the museum has a sentimental value or it doesn't make it in.
If you have time before going to the museum, check out Mrs. Browning blog or The International Guild of Miniature Artisans to really get a grasp of the time and talent that goes into the collection and what you will see when you go.
While you are in Maysville, make sure to grab a coffee or other delicious treat at the beautiful, European-style Parc Café.
KSB Miniatures Collection • 606.564.5865 • 215 Sutton St, Maysville, KY 41056
Parc Café (Maysville, KY)
Parc Café is definitely more than your standard coffee house—it’s a feast waiting to happen! Parc Café has a full kitchen and a super friendly baker creating delicious breakfast foods such as breads, croissants, and quiches. Additionally, they have a full lunch menu of soups, and sandwiches. Make sure you try their deserts such as the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding and the Chocolate Chip Croissants that are out of this world! Homemade breads and local jams are also available to purchase.
Parc Café has an inviting atmosphere where you can sit down and relax or catch up with a friend and you may even find a live musician playing on Saturday morning.
The architecture is almost as delectable as its ambiance. No expense was spared to recreate a Paris café! Starting with the beautiful stone parking lot to the beautiful outdoor cafe terrace to the stunning woodwork throughout inside. A park adjacent to the cafe is complete except for the oncoming statues of Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton.
Click here for a great article on some of the architectural features of the building.
Parc Café • 606.564.9704 • 35 E 2nd St, Maysville, KY 41056
The Stegowagenvolkssaurus (Newport, KY)
Want to see what could be every kid’s dream replica of a bigger than life Hot Wheels or Matchbox car? This is on NKU's Bucket List but should be on every Cincinnati-area explorer’s bucket list. Stegowagenvolkssaurus is a 12-foot-tall by 20-foot-wide sculpture housed on the 3rd floor of the W. Frank Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University.
Patricia A. Renick, the late Cincinnati artist, combined the body of a VW Beetle with the legs, head, and spikes of a stegosaurus. She created the sculpture in the 1970’s and was shown at the Contemporary Arts Center and the Cincinnati Art Museum as well as in a federal building in Chicago. Rumor has it Robert Downey Jr. made a trip to NKU to see the Stegowagenvolkssaurus.
You can also see an impressive half triceratops-half helicopter 30-foot sculpture Triceracopter at the The University of Cincinnati’s Walter C. Langsam Library.
The Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University • Nunn Dr, Newport, KY 41099
Riverwalk Statue Tour (Covington, KY)
Located in Covington, Kentucky, the Riverwalk Statue Tour is located right next to the Roebling Suspension Bridge. The tour is comprised of seven life-like bronze statues of historical figures including two maps located on the trail marking all the statues. Each effigy also has a plaque near telling some of the history of each person. The first map is located by the statue of John A. Roebling, creator of the adjacent bridge and best known as the architect of the Brooklyn Bridge. Make sure you check out the detailed blueprint of the Roebling bridge next to the statue. As you walk you will notice that some of the figures have more or less detail than others because the are created by different sculptors.
All the statues but Daniel Carter Beard are located along both sides of Riverside Drive. In the park you can find a figure of the tall explorer and frontiersman, Simon Kenton who was eventually adopted into the Shawnee People. Also in the park is Captain Mary B. Greene, once commander of the Delta Queen and one of the few women to become a licensed river pilot and boat master.
As you cross back over to the riverside of the street you will be able to sit down next to James Bradley. Brought to America as an infant by slave traders, he earned enough money to purchase his freedom and took part in the Lane Seminary debates on slavery which took place in Cincinnati. Then you will move on to Chief Little Turtle (aka Michikinikwa) who was a chief of the Miami People and led a confederation of Miami, Delaware, and Shawnee. As a side note, this may be one of the best views of Cincinnati to behold! Next on to the John James Audubon statue who was an American ornithologist, naturalist, and painter that spent time here drawing and painting.
You may need the map to locate the Daniel Carter Beard statue. It's located a couple streets south of the river at the Daniel Carter Beard House. It's about a beautiful four-minute walk through Historic Licking Riverside Neighborhood. He was the founder of the Boy Scouts in 1910. Back on Riverside Drive you can see his namesake, The Daniel Carter Beard Bridge, also known as the Big Mac Bridge. For another day, you can enjoy the The 5-Mile Dan Beard Riverwalk Trail includes most of Cincinnati, Newport and Covington’s Bicentennial Riverwalk.
Click on a name below to learn more about each historical figure:
Riverwalk Statue Tour • Riverside Dr & Greenup St. Covington, KY 41011