eastsider magazine

Winding through the Swiss Alps, I sit in a van filled with Americans, Canadians, and Germans, all listening to Jamaican music and talking to guides from South Africa and New Zealand.

Today is the final day of a nearly month-long European journey that has taken me to over a dozen cities in eight countries. And while I’m anxious to get back to my little corner of Cincinnati, I can’t help but want more time here to explore and experience what other parts of the world have to offer.

The Fourth of July is coming up, and nothing makes you appreciate and understand the uniqueness of America like traveling abroad. Having lived in several cities and states, I am aware of the many things unique to Cincinnati. But when I step back even further and take a global view of food, art, sports, communication, mannerisms, transportation, commerce, and a host of everyday things that unite and separate people, I gain a new appreciation for the world, and for the country and city in which we live. read more »

The recent buzz around iPhone clones, the Palm Pre, and the iPhone 3G S have kept smartphone fever at record highs. In this edition of Nerd Alert, we will pit the two frontrunners to the smartphone throne, iPhone and BlackBerry, against each other and try to pick a winner.

In the Corporate Corner: RIM BlackBerry
The first PDA-style BlackBerry was released in 2002 and quickly became a massive hit in corporate circles for the then-innovative “push” email technology. For the first time, emails could be received almost as soon as they were sent, similar to text messaging. Since then, this feature has been copied by most other smartphones, leaving BlackBerry to compete on more equal footing. read more »

By now you have probably seen the new Malton Gallery at the intersection of Edmondson and Edwards roads. It most likely caught your eye months ago when construction began. Since then, you have been able to watch its progress if you passed that way to go to Rookwood or hop on I-71. This new home is the third location for the gallery, which has been an eastside staple for over a third of a century.

“The gallery opened in 1974, and I purchased it from the original owner well over a decade ago. So I’ve owned it for right around a dozen years by now,” says Sylvia Rombis from her second floor perch overlooking the new domain. “This is our third location, and I have to tell you, the next time they take me out of here, it will either be for retirement or in a box – I’m not moving again.” read more »

Lobster for $20,  martinis for $4, and a multitude of moderately priced craft brews on tap – one might not expect to find such things in the middle of Hyde Park, surrounded by  boutiques and million dollar estates, but there is a very welcome surprise to be found in the Square.

Teller’s of Hyde Park has a lot of exceptional drinking and dining options to offer guests. The food is varied and well prepared, the beverages are well crafted and chosen, and the dining environment is unique and interesting. read more »

Summer is well underway, and if you are anything like me, sometimes you get caught up in the everyday grind. A list of tasks to be completed becomes more important than simply stopping to smell the roses.  Literally.  Infuse your home with such beauty, fragrance, and happiness that only nature can provide. Take advantage of the flowers outside your doorstep or at your local market for very little expense. By sprinkling your home’s interior with fresh colorful blooms you are creating a daily reminder to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. read more »