13 September 2010

A Typical Weekend

Not to be exhibitionist, but rather for those who wonder what a weekend in downtown/OTR is like for us, here you go:

Friday after work and school, we walked over to the new Joe's Diner at Sycamore and 12th. The food was average and affordable, meaning we'll probably return soon.

Afterward we walked up to Ziegler Park playground and the kids met new friends and swung on the swings. It was dusk as we left the park, and I had the kids smell their way to the rear of Shadeau Breads. We noticed a very small tree planted next to the parking lot there. It had dozens of peaches laying on the ground!! We collected quite a few and when at home, I cleaned them, and the kids had them for dessert.

The next morning I was up early cooking breakfast, and ran to Rohs Hardware store for home-improvement supplies. Rohs is a great local resource, but seems they are on hard times as the neighborhood has changed around them. They used to be open early and late making keys, cutting glass and selling fishing licenses and roach powder. Now they have minimal hours and fewer services, but they are still sticking it out. Support them if you need paint, screws or repair supplies.

Later, while getting ready for our first soccer game of the season we watched a Stealth Bomber roar over our heads. I have never seen one before that I can remember. Apparently this was a fly-over for the Bearcat opener. My son's game was very exciting, he played excellent defense. My wife is coaching our daughter's team, so son and I assisted her setting up the cones and collectng the balls etc.. Since the second game was by Spring Grove Cemetery, we met up with some friends at a Northside Park then walked to their house for a lovely evening on their porch while the kids played.

Jergens Park, Northside:
 
Saturday night, my wife worked an overnight shift, so the next morning while she slept we walked to church with our neighbors. On the walk back we said hi to acquaintances and stopped by the garden and picked a few tomatoes.

Daughter had another soccer game at noon. Afterward, looking for a cheap lunch, we stopped in at the new bakery at Findlay Market, Skirtz and Johnstone. Since the weather was gorgeous, we ate outside in the beer garden. Skirtz and Johnstone is excellent and highly recommended.

 
On the way home, we happened upon the OTR tour of living, and we walked through several new condo and apartment rehabs. I really liked the apartments around Parvis Alley. We kept running into this mean looking dude in the different buildings:
 
I'll post photos from the new rehabs later this week.

We ended up on Main Street, where the Second Sunday on Main was in full swing, and a bunch of bikers were collecting themselves to ride the streetcar route. The Mayor was there, and my daughter was very interested in the one guy riding his bike with a bird on his shoulder. My son really, really, really wanted to get his bike, so my wife ran home with him and they had a great time riding the streetcar route together in a big group of fun people:
 
After that, I went with my son to meet with a friend who is rehabbing a little building on Republic Street. My son loved going in this vacant building with us as we talked about the future rehab. My son also found a Pluto Water bottle the rubble, which he took home and cleaned.

Thirteenth Street in Sunlight, taken on walk home:
 

We also notice that a new bar opened in this building at Vine and 13th:
 

Inside of Lackman bar:
 

Vine Street, looking north from 13th:
 

Soon we were home when we heard a commotion and cheering near Washington Park. I remembered that Bill Clinton was supposed to appear, so my son and I walked over and wormed our way into the crowd so he could see Clinton, but my son liked Mark Mallory better because he wore dark sunglasses and "yelled real loud".
 
Then we walked home and had a nice quiet dinner. Both kids finished up some homework, then son finished the last few chapters of "George's Marvelous Medicine" before climbing into bed exhausted.

And some people say you can't raise kids in the city.

13 comments:

McEwan said...

I love this! May I share?

CityKin said...

Of course.

Unknown said...

Love this post! Elsie's big city adventure this weekend was riding her bike from the Sawyer Point playground to Newport on the Levee and back. But we spent too much time out in the 'burbs -- had to do Harvest Home fair, visit cousins, etc. -- and so missed all this other cool stuff, darn it.

CityKin said...

Julie, there's always next week, where there'll be even more stuff going on. It's getting hard to have just a simple quiet weekend!

Ben said...

You are an inspiration. We just had a new baby seven weeks ago and are also excited about raising our kid in OTR. Sounds like we have a lot to look forward to once the little guy gets to walking and talking.

Jenny K said...

I rode my bike with your son and wife yesterday! He did such a great job, was really confident and holding his own in the crowd. When we were riding on Elm Street I asked him about the streetcar and if he had ever ridden on a train. He said he had once, and then mentioned cities where "everyone only rides bikes."

He's pretty great. Thanks for sharing your life with us :)

5chw4r7z said...

The bike ride was a blast, you got me in the picture to the far left.
Your son beat most of the adults up the hill from 3rd to 4th on his little single speed, funny.

Shannanb said...

I love this post! Such a great look at life downtown for families

Kevin LeMaster said...

I saw you interviewed on Channel 12...nice job! Looks like you had one helluva a weekend.

WestEnder said...

Yes, this is an excellent post about the new downtown/OTR but the best part was how your son played great defense. Defense is everything!!!

VisuaLingual said...

Showoff!

CityKin said...

Westender, yeah, I've kinda given up on him ever scoring, but he loves to hassle the other team when they got the ball, and it is great fun to watch.

Unknown said...

awesome! my husband and i are moving out of the burbs after 27 years and headed downtown, probably to OTR. we love it down there. thanks for sharing! makes me only more anxious to move there!