Showing posts with label UDF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UDF. Show all posts

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Run 52: Mt. Lookout


First things first.  Here is the prettiest pooch in Mt. Lookout:


When we left for this run, Zola Budd watched through the patio door as we headed down the driveway without her.  Like on our Linwood run, we started our Mt. Lookout route from home.  We live right on the border of the two neighborhoods, but the Auditor’s website says we live in Mt. Lookout, so that’s what we’re going with.  
Like in many of the neighborhoods we’ve run so far, it’s impossible to run in Mt. Lookout and avoid the hills.  We started by turning up Sheffield and then again up Heekin.  And I was dying already.  My lungs were burning.  My legs were burning.  And my face looked--strangely--flat as a pancake:
 

But it was totally worth it because at the top of Heeken is Ault Park, which is one of the loveliest parks in the city.  I’m going to get all Leslie Knope here, but to live in walking distance of a park like this means everything. 
 
 
 
 
 
We even ventured onto the trail for a short while.
 

Leaving Ault Park, we ran through the neighborhood, which has quiet streets with lots of tutor and craftsman style homes. 
 

The white house on the left is where we lived when we first got married and moved to Cincinnati.  I’ll always remember rolling up with three bad cats and a U-Haul full of clothes from the Buffalo Exchange.  The neighbors must have been thrilled.

When we lived in this house—which backs up to a wooded ravine—a herd of deer would often hang out in our backyard.  When we run in Mt. Lookout we always see deer, including this one, who was actually feeling pretty nonchalant about snacking on this person’s front yard:

And then there is Mt. Lookout Square, which is what attracted us to the neighborhood in the first place.  The square has EVERYTHING you could ask for in a business district: four bars, two pubs, sushi restaurant, Mediterranean restaurant, pizza place, Thai restaurant, Subway, gift shop, four salons, dance studio, vet’s office, coffee shop, interior design store, photography studio, brunch place, bookstore, gelato shop, funeral home, dry cleaner, oil change place, shoe repair, boutique, chiropractor, drug store, realtor’s office, bank, music venue. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Oh, and a fully-stocked UDF, which tops Donnie’s list of neighborhood must-haves.  When we moved out of Mt. Lookout for a few years, Donnie would often complain that he missed being able to walk down to the UDF to get a post-run Gatorade. 

Personally, I don’t think it gets much better than some vegetarian cabbage rolls and happy hour:

I don’t know if it’s just me, but sometimes I get an Alpine feel from Mt. Lookout Square.  I think the hills and the hustle and bustle call to mind a thriving ski town during peak season. Or maybe the association just comes from Alpine Avenue, which is the steepest hill we’ve climbed on Run 52.  So steep, I’m embarrassed to say, that I walked the last dozen yards:

We looped around Alpine, down Paxton, and then back through the Square.  The bouncer at Mount Lookout Tavern was otherwise occupied so stood in for him for a few minutes.  When I saw what he was doing, he snorted a little bit like I had no business acting like I could keep the hooligans out of the bar:


Next, we ran past Our Lord Christ the King Church.  I love that Jesus is giving the peace sign.  This statute also always makes me think of the intro scene of Baz Luhrmann’s, Romeo and Juliet, which I swooned over in the eighth grade:

I also saw it fourteen times in the theater, in case you’re wondering how I spent all that money I made scooping ice cream.
So that was the run.  To celebrate the Mt. Lookout leg of Run 52, we returned to the square on Friday night for burgers (cow for Donnie, bean for me!) at Zips, followed by gelato at Buona Terra:
 

I had the tiramisu flavor and Donnie had cookies and cream, but they also had Earl Gray and a white chocolate lavender flavor for those with more sophisticated palates.  Like with many things, we go by this place every day, but it was the Food Hussy’s review that got us to stop in. 
I don’t know how to wrap this up except to say that I love this neighborhood.  I love the park, the hills, the trees, the drive to work along Columbia Parkway.  I love the deer and the gelato.  I love the black bean burger at Zips.  I even love this old cat, who hangs out in the storefront window of the photography studio, and who Zola loves to terrorize:

The running is not bad either.

 

-Kayla




 


Full route with mile markers: http://www.usatf.org/routes/view.asp?rID=523295
 

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Run 52: East Price Hill

It’s been a long time.  Two months, exactly.  First, Donnie pulled his hamstring and we abandoned the East Price Hill Route one mile in.  Then I gave myself the stress reaction from which I’m just now recovering.  March to May:  Zola Budd turned seven.  Donnie turned thirty.  Our injuries healed.  The trees turned green.  And now here we are—back in East Price Hill.


 

The original route for this neighborhood was nearly eight miles.  Since I’m only back up to about four and a half miles, I drew up this modified route before we left the house:

 

This version had us starting and finishing at Mt. Echo Park.  The pavilion is stunning and the view from here is one of the best in the city.  



 

Three years ago, I received a ticket in this park for “failure to display a front license plate.”  Yesterday, I risked receiving another citation when I snuck into the men’s restroom before we started our run. The women’s room was being cleaned and I had Donnie posted as a lookout.  
We made our way up Elberon and turned right on West Eighth just past the “Creative Photography” studio.  On West Eighth, we passed Holy Family church and school and, just across the street, my favorite house in the neighborhood.  This house has always reminded me of Albuquerque near the University of New Mexico:

 
 

Here is Holy Family:
 


West Eighth Street leads to the newly-named Incline District.  At the approach, we passed this charming brick three-family with an urban-looking patio out back:




There is some serious recyling going on here!  Good for them!
And then the new Incline Village apartment building, which is next door to the 1960s Queen’s Tower, which has a mix of rental and for-sale units and a four-star restaurant on the ground floor:


 

Sandwiched between them is Olden View Park.  This is where the old Price Hill Incline landed on its summit from Lower Price Hill below. It’s also where Donnie scaled this cement wall and blocked out the good part of the skyline: 


Next, we ran down Price Avenue to Santa Maria’s Financial Opportunity Center, where I worked until last July:


Looking at this line-up of horrible photos makes me think that next time we should hire someone from the “Creative Photography Studio” to help us frame these shots. 
Although this one is pretty good:

 

Just past the Financial Opportunity Center is the beautifully-renovated Flats apartment building with its first-floor art gallery:
 



And here’s Bill, whose vision for the Incline District has made it a hip destination:

 
 

Across the street is the Corner Bloc coffeeshop, which has Tuesday night jazz, friendly baristas, and the best coffee in town (rivaled, in my opinion, only by Rose Street):



 

We turned up Hawthorne and got a glimpse of the UDF that I used to frequent when I worked in the neighborhood:


 Warsaw Avenue is lined with trees and historic buildings with cute store-fronts:



Past Kroger on McPherson, we passed this old church that hosts a food pantry.  I love the small, round windows:
 
We ran down to Enright, where we ventured into the EnrightRidge Urban Eco-Village.  This village-within-a-neighborhood is really admirable—like-minded neighbors using sustainable housing and gardening practices.


The building on the right hosts the Cincinnati Zen Center:

 

And in the middle of the eco-village is the sixteen-acre Imago Earth Center with its series of well-kept trails through dense woods:


 

Across the street from Imago is St. Joseph Cemetery:

 

Speaking of the cemetery, this would not be an honest retelling if I didn't admit that I was almost a goner twice on this run. First, a very mean dog rushed out from under a house and came within inches of my face. Fortunately for me (and my face), Donnie whipped out his Cesar Milan and shamed it into submission.  Just two minutes later, a car going approximately 90 miles per hour in a 35 zone turned right as we were crossing the street back into Mt. Echo Park.  Donnie saved me again by screaming “watch out!” and pulling me onto the sidewalk.   Whew.  My lawyer is a monster.
After all the excitement, I needed a cigarette.  Since I don’t smoke, I settled for a Starbucks bold blend.
YOLO.