This week’s chance to meet five new people just by showing up is, as luck would have it, an opportunity that arises every week: City Cellars’ TGIT wine tasting every Tuesday evening.

City Cellars, a wine aficonado’s haven, is the first port of call for chefs and home cooks who are serious about what they serve with dinner. But it’s also an open and friendly place for those who just enjoy a fine glass of wine to discover what the world has to offer.

Every Tuesday, wine lovers also have the chance to meet one another at City Cellars. The shop hosts a tasting of a different wine every week, and also brings the winemaker in to discuss his creation with those who are interested. Light food is served, and it’s a great atmosphere for groups of friends and for making new friends.

WHAT: City Cellars TGIT wine tasting
WHEN: Every Tuesday starting at 5.30PM
WHERE: 908 Race Street, downtown – map
WHO: Hosted by City Cellars and the week’s selected winemaker
COST: $6 per person for wine and light food
HOW: Reservations are suggested: Call Brian on 513-621-9463 or e-mail  Brian@citycellars.biz to let them know you’re coming.

Wine photo copyright Jackie Danicki 

Cincinnati Salon: The Second

Originally uploaded by dynamist

Want to meet five new people just by showing up to an event? Here’s a good one for this week – and yes, this is blatant self-pimpage on my part.

I started the Cincinnati Salon in March 2007, and since then our monthly ideas forum has hosted many stimulating discussions amongst some of the city’s brightest, most engaged residents. This month, City Beat columnist Stephanie Dunlap, who is also now a program director at Literacy Center West, will be talking with us about adult literacy in the Greater Cincinnati area.

WHAT: Cincinnati Salon
WHEN: Thursday, January 31, 6-8PM (talk starts at 7PM SHARP)
WHERE: The Waldo, 204 W. 8th Street (corner of 8th & Elm) – map
WHO: Hosted by Jackie Danicki (me!)
COST: Free
HOW: Just show up!

Brian Neumann and Fred Arrowood are hosting the opening of Joseph Williams Home, a new urban lifestyle furniture store in Cincinnati’s Pendelton arts district. Free drinks and food will be provided in style, and everyone has a chance to win a $500 shopping spree at the store. An afterparty at Over-the-Rhine hotspot Below Zero will follow.

Gatherings like this always attract some of the city’s most outgoing, connected residents – indeed, it was just such a party at the nearby High Street (also on Reading Road) that first introduced me to many wonderful Cincinnatians when I first moved to town.

WHAT: Joseph Williams Home Preview Party
WHEN: Friday, January 25, 6PM – 10PM
WHERE: Joseph Williams Home, 550 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45202 (map & directions)
WHO: Hosted by Brian Neumann and Fred Arrowood
COST: Free
HOW: Leave a comment on this post or email me at dynamist AT gmail DOT com and I will email you an invitation; please RSVP online by Wednesday, January 23

If you live north of the Ohio River, it can be easy to forget all of the fantastic things happening on the other side of it. Covington is especially vibrant these days, with an arts scene that is the envy of many other, larger cities.

For a taste of what’s going on down yonder, check out Cincinnati blogger 5chw4r7z’s photos from The Carnegie Visual and Performing Arts Center‘s latest exhibition, A Woman’s View II. Like so many events in this area, the show is free to the public.

Here’s this week’s golden chance to meet five new people just by showing up:

The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is hosting a special talk by famed mystery writer Sara Paretsky. She’ll be talking about her most recognized character, private detective V.I. Warshawski (as played by Kathleen Turner on film), and taking questions from the audience. Paretsky is a very popular speaker on the library circuit, and Cincinnati is fortunate to host her this week.

This is set to be an intimate chat with one of America’s most successful authors, and is sure to attract a great mix of bright Cincinnati residents. Bonus: If you’re a member of the Downtown Residents’ Council, you can snap up a limited number of free tickets (for you and a friend) to attend.

WHAT: Talk with Sara Paretsky
WHEN: Thursday, January 17 at 7.00PM
WHERE: Memorial Hall, 1225 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine (map & directions)
WHO: Sponsored by the Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County
COST: $10 (limited number of free tickets available for DRC members and their plus-ones)
HOW: Send your seat requests, including name and number of tickets, to programs@cincinnatilibrary.org or call (513) 369-6945.

Sara Paretsky photo courtesy Fairfax County Public Library

I’ve received some simply wonderful emails lately from Cincinnati natives who were dubious about moving back, but now feel more hopeful after reading this blog and the others I link to. As if I needed it, that’s encouragement enough to keep going. Thanks for your patience!

Meet 5 is a new weekly feature here at NewtoCincy.com. Every week, I’ll post about one event where you’ll be guaranteed to meet at least five people just by showing up.

This week, the annual holiday party for the Downtown Residents’ Council is the place to be – whether you live downtown or not. On Thursday night at Universal Grille, DRC members old and new will be chowing down on good food, knocking back cocktails, and making friends with whoever walks in the door. This is one of the friendlist, most helpful groups of people you could wish to encounter – in Cincinnati or elsewhere.

The party starts at 6PM and goes until 9 o’clock. It’s free for DRC members. What if you’re not a member? Just join at the door, for the princely sum of $15 per person OR $20 for an entire household. That will let you eat for free and get discounted drinks at the party, and also entitle you to the myriad other benefits that come with DRC membership. (Here’s an abridged list of businesses which offer discounts to members, but there are many more offers – such as 2-for-1 theater tickets, restaurant gift certificates, and many more bonuses – which come members’ way throughout the year.)

So your membership pays for itself at the party, plus you get ongoing benefits for twelve months after you join. It’s a no-brainer.

WHAT: Downtown Residents’ Council annual holiday party
WHEN: Thursday, December 20 (6PM – 9PM)
WHERE: Universal Grille, 911 Vine Street (map)
COST: Free to DRC members; yearly dues of $15 per individual or $20 per household can be paid on the door for full membership privileges

Five person shot by Jackie Danicki

Even if you don’t live downtown, you’ll want to devote some time to exploring the area. There seems to be no limit to the fascinating people, places, shops, galleries, museums, and other points of interest to be discovered in downtown Cincinnati.

A great way to get acquainted with these is through a downtown gift card. These cards are redeemable at an exhaustive list of downtown retail outlets, restaurants, salons, hotels, nightclubs, gyms, theaters, museums, galleries, and other businesses. And while you can use the card at large chains such as Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue, it’s a lot more fun to take them to the one-off shops and points of cultural interest that this city does so well.

Even better: You can redeem the cards at a variety of places. So you can split that $200 downtown gift card between lunch at Via Vité, art from Nicholas Gallery, SIGG water bottles from Park + Vine, Marimekko kitchenware from Mica 12/v, a play at the Ensemble Theater…

You get the picture. I highly recommend getting the card.

Park + Vine picture by Jackie Danicki 

When I first moved to Cincinnati in March, I started the Cincinnati Supper Club so I’d have an excuse to invite strangers over for dinner. To my amazement, people actually showed up, and continue to do so all these months later.

The date and details of the next Cincinnati Supper Club gathering have just been announced. If you’re new in town and would like to meet a laidback group of great people, RSVP here before we hit capacity!