Sunday January 7

Hello Cincinnati!

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday and got to enjoy some time off and those you love!

I am returning to weekly emails. For those of you who love them, daily newsletters are not out of the picture… just on hiatus for at least a few weeks.

Let’s get this list started!

Highlights For This Week:

Monday, Jan. 8: Little Miami Brewing hosts “The Office” Trivia starting at 7pm.

Tuesday, Jan. 9: There’s a Women’s Bourbon Social happening at Smoke Justis (Covington), 4-9pm. When you arrive, head to the Bourbon Lounge where staff will guide you through their wide selection of over 500 bourbon bottles, offering recommendations based on your taste preferences. The goal is to provide a community of female bourbon drinkers the opportunity to enjoy pours and carefully-crafted bourbon cocktails while engaging in conversation with other bourbon enthusiasts!

Wednesday, Jan. 10: “Gardening with Nature: the New American Landscape” is a three part gardening class starting on Wednesday at the UC Office of Professional and Continuing Education / Victory Parkway Campus. Students will be introduced to modern garden innovators who are influencing how we approach garden design.

Thursday, Jan. 11: Head to Cincinnati Observatory for Family Astronomy Night, 7-8:30pm. Geared for families with children 5-12 years old, Family Astronomy Night will include viewing through a telescope (if clear), a tour of the Observatory, and a hands-on space activity or craft. It will be fun for the whole family. This event’s theme is “Space Scientist”.

Mark Your Calendar:

The 9th Annual Chocolate in the Chapel takes place on February 4. Held in the historic Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum’s Norman Chapel, businesses will showcase their sweet treats and offer samples. Visitors will also be able to take a mini walking tour of the Norman Chapel led by Spring Grove's expert Docents.  The tour begins at 2:00pm.

The next installment of “See the Story Book Club”, a collab between the Cincinnati Art Museum and Cincinnati Public Library, is happening on Saturday, January 20, 11:30am-1pm. See the Story combines authors’ works from around the world (both fiction and non-fiction) with artwork on view in the museum’s galleries. Participants meet in the library to discuss the book of the month then take a tour of related artworks. This month’s book is “Black Cloud Rising” by David Wright Falade.

Find more January events over on our website!

Sign Up:

Registration will open on Saturday (Jan. 13, noon) for the February Memorial Mausoleum Windows Walking Tour at Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. The tour focuses on the windows and some mosaics. Join Spring Grove Docents Marie Lager and Karen Wais on this walking tour as they share the origins, artisanship, and the stories behind each of the breathtaking window masterpieces. Registration is required as space is limited. Tour date is February 11, 10:30am-noon.

Lots of Maple Sugaring events are happening this month and next and most/all require advance registration. See our list here.

Tickets are still available, surprisingly, for the “Full Moon Walk: Wolf Moon at Rowe Woods” event which happens on January 25. Witness the night's magic transform the trails as you marvel at the full moon and reveal natural history happenings on this guided hike. Full Moon Walks provide rare opportunities to hike Nature Center trails when they’re normally closed. These nighttime walks utilize level upland trails—we avoid hills, steps, and stream crossings for safety.

Cincinnati Museum Center hosts “Off the Rails": Science of Love Edition” on February 8, 7-10pm. This 21 and up after hours event will explore the chemistry behind great chemistry. Off the Rails After Hours combines your childhood nostalgia with a cash bar and sprinkle of A Night at the Museum.

Deals and Discounts:

Cincinnati Zoo’s Penguin Days start on Monday, January 8. Enjoy discounted admission to the Cincinnati Zoo through March 8. This is the last year for the penguin parades so be sure to get out there to see it (parades happen Saturdays and Sundays at 11am - must be below 50 degrees for the penguins to parade). See zoo site for full details.

Date Night Idea for This Week:

Not exactly this week but you might want to grab your tickets for this date night idea…

Cincinnati Nature Center hosts “Maple Date Night: A Taste Through Time” on February 8 and 9. During this maple tasting experience, we’ll tap into how people’s love for maple syrup has changed through time as we savor foods and stories. Grab your partner’s hand as you head into the sugarbush to gather sap under lantern light. Sip maple cocktails while watching a cooking demonstration and exploring present day gourmet “not just for pancakes” uses for maple syrup.  Preregistration required.

Things to Do Next Weekend:

I update our list of things to do for the weekend on Mondays.

Here’s the full list of weekend events: Best Things to Do This Weekend

Highlights for next weekend include:

• See live ice carving demos as part of Fire and Ice at Moerlein Lager House next Saturday, 3-6pm

• Winter Hike Series will be happening at Sharon Woods

• Fib Farm Class: Elderberry Syrup

• Cincy Hikes Lunken Airport

• and more!

Photo of the Week:

Escape the cold with our suggestions for great places to find Hot Chocolate

Have any thoughts or resources to share? Hit reply and let’s talk!