Erica's new (ad)venture

http://whatsacadenza.com/

I'm working on a new blog, which chronicles my new adventure: working at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

I try to keep these posts short and interesting, and would love to take questions about Music Hall, the Symphony, classical music, etc. I'm learning all of these things for myself, after all! I took this job 8 months ago with a passion for the Symphony but no classical music background, so keeping track of the things I learn is helpful to me and hopefully interesting to you.

I hope you'll join me at What's a Cadenza?

Vote No on the Anti-Rail Amendment - Vote no on Issue 48

This is about much more than the streetcar. Here are the details (via Cincinnatians for Progress)

A small group of anti-progress activists are trying -- again -- to stop Cincinnati from developing a streetcar system serving downtown and Over-The-Rhine. They want a disastrous city charter amendment that would -- again -- go far beyond their stated intention.

In 2009, city voters overwhelmingly rejected a similar effort by the same group. The anti-progress group ignored the will of the people and continued a campaign to spread blatant falsehoods and misunderstanding.

Once again, it is up to Cincinnati voters to put a stop to a destructive assault on the city charter.

WHAT THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT WOULD DO

• It would bar anyone -- including private parties – from working on any form of rail-based transportation for 10 years. That arbitrary "dead period" would make it illegal for the city to take advantage of new technology and new circumstances, such as the future federal stimulus dollars. Under the language of this proposal, a generation would pass before Cincinnati could hope to see light rail or commuter rail, or even the return of the inclines.
• It would cost hundreds of jobs in construction of the line itself, and more importantly, jobs created by homes and businesses that will fill the area along the streetcar route.
• It would lead to confusion and lawsuits, further impeding the city's ability to grow.
• It would undermine the city charter, Cincinnati's version of the Constitution, by usurping the lawful functions of elected officials. It could open the door to a flood of California-style actions used by special interests to bypass the legislative process. The results in California have been tax hikes, deficits and civic paralysis.Whether you care about the streetcar plan or not, this dangerous charter amendment must not pass

In addition the League of Women Voters in Cincinnati recently came out in opposition to this dangerous charter amendment.

The amendment would prevent the City from spending or appropriating any money (including city, state, federal and private funds) to plan, construct, or operate a streetcar system through the year 2020. Because of the definition of a "Streetcar System," the amendment would include any kind of passenger rail operating on city streets or publicly-owned rights-of-way. The amendment would stop not just the streetcar. It would also block any regional passenger rail system (light rail or commuter rail) and would keep any rail transit from being planned or built in Cincinnati for the next decade.

The LWVCA seeks to keep open the city's transportation options as a means of contributing to the City's economic vitality and development. The proposed Charter Amendment, if passed, would put on hold the city and region's transportation options for the remainder of the decade and beyond.

In addition, the League opposes the proposed Charter Amendment because the
Charter should provide for the flexible operation of government. The Charter should not limit or restrict City Council's legislative authority as outlined in the Charter. "The proposed amendment is too specific for a Charter and too far reaching in its consequences for our city and region's transportation options," says Melissa Currence, President, League of Women Voters.

Any way you cut it this amendment is bad for the city, bad for business, bad for jobs and bad for our future.

This Place Matters 2011 - Vote OTR!

In case you've missed this, OTR is in the running for a major grant from the National Trust. We're currently in FIRST PLACE but we need your help to stay there!

From the OverTheRhine blog:

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s This Place Matters 2011 Community Challenge kicked off June 1 at 8am and will end at 11:59pm, June 30. 100 local preservation organizations nationwide were selected to compete. First, second and third places will win $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000, respectively. The Over-the-Rhine Foundation is fortunate enough to be one of the 100 candidates nationwide and one of only three from the state of Ohio.

If you haven't already, VOTE!  

For more information visit the National Trust website - http://www.preservationnation.org/take-action/this-place-matters/community-challenge/places/over-the-rhine.html

still around!

We're still alive, just have been busy with other projects and life. For your viewing enjoyment, some photos I took while biking around last weekend (this weekend's weather hasn't cooperated with cycling) - a mix of the new along with some of the past.

Sunday Ride Photos

There are no shortage of cool bike rides around Cincinnati. Sunday morning I decided to ride up to Spring Grove Cemetery and do some exploring. It's an incredible place if you haven't been, and if you're a cyclist its nice quiet place to cruise, train, whatever.

Poke Journal! Please submit!

I've been meaning to write about my new project all month! We keep busy over here. :)

Besides exploring the wonders of Cincinnati, another huge passion of mine is art (and specifically poetry, my major in college). I'm now trying to see if I can bridge these two passions with a handmade, Cincinnati-based literary journal called Poke.

All the details for Poke are on the journal's Facebook page, but the gist is this: to take part, all an artist has to do is hand-make 10 copies of his/her work.

That's it!

There will only be 10 copies of any issue. Proceeds from sales of the journal will go toward a local cause or institution, determined by the community.

But I really really need your help, because without submissions this project tanks. MiCA 12/v has been an incredible partner in this project, so I'd love to create a fantastic inaugural issue to make OTR proud!

Submissions for this issue are due at Final Friday, and you do not have to live anywhere near OTR/Cincinnati to submit (though you do have to get down to MiCA to drop them off). See alllll the glorious deets here: http://www.facebook.com/PokeJournal?sk=info

Please let me know if you have questions, and spread the word! That first deadline is comin' up fast!  :D

Rivertown Brewery Tour

Thanks to Yelp, we had a chance to tour a local brewery, Rivertown (in Lockland). Here are a handful of my iPhone shots from that morning (in our excitement, we left the real camera in the car!):

The tour was so much fun. We were able to see just about every step of the brewing process, because there was a local group of homebrewers mixing a batch that day and so the brewery was hoppin'. (Hoppin'? Beer pun?) We smelled different types of hops, tasted various grains, sampled ales (if you're into that kind of thing), and even visited the bottling machine (just one! for their entire distribution!!).

A great learning experience and a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon-- thanks Alex, Yelp and Rivertown!

Rivertown Brewery: http://www.rivertownbrewery.com/