Moving to Cincinnati area in end of November or early December - Help!

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by progmac

My mental boundary of norwood is I-71. So I sort of connect Rookwood with Oakley even though I know it is in Norwood.

And I think about 95% of others make the same mental association with I-71. The only difference with me is having worked at the old LeBlond plant for many years where Rookwood is now located, when we left the plant to go out for the occasional lunch, once we crossed Madison Rd out the front gate we were on our way to Hyde Park, not Oakley.

We all knew the plant was in Norwood, reminded by the city income tax withdrawn from our pay. Other than that, we had to cross I-71 to mentally actually get to Norwood.

So they can post all the signs they want at Rookwood proclaiming it to be Norwood. But in my mind the I-71 boundary still exists.

To me it is strictly a fortune of location. An old manufacturing plant decided they needed a new modern facility and to build it in Mason. A developer was looking for a site with easy interstate access to build a retail complex. The size was right so they struck a deal. LeBlond, by then LeBlond Makino built a new state of the art facility in Mason. Rookwood Commons was started. I still like going down and seeing the fleur-de-lis emblem on the side of the smokestack. LeBlond had adopted the fleur-de-lis as their company symbol. This made sense as it is a French derived symbol and Richard Knight LeBlond who had founded the company was a Frenchman. It also happens to be the symbol of the Boy Scouts of America.

Quite frankly, Norwood had little to do with it. They could have been stupid and blocked the demolition and building permits, but they knew better. So now they have a shiny new corner of the city they can proclaim look this is Norwood. But us older folks will still have the feeling Norwood stops at I-71.

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by oldpcgamer

Ok guys ... a bit over 4 months shy of a year that we have been living in Cincinnati ... and the commute coming from the Amelia area (where we live now) is not great to UC Cinc Health (where my wife works).

It runs from 20 mins when there is no traffic to over an hour when Cincinnati drivers are out in full force. (4 to 6 cars at 80 mph all nose to ass end ... and they are surprised when a 6 car crash ensues.)

We are currently looking to move into the west side of Cincinnati ... Downtown is either pricey or worse ... roaches.

I have talked to way too many places where they make you de-claw your cats ... and I am not mutilating my cats for anyone.

I know have a much better idea of the area and where is where ... so Sharonville and that area are not out of the question, but I worry about the morning traffic on I71 and I75.

Norwood and Hyde Park are very nice areas. As are Mt. Airy and that area. Her Niece lives in Cleeves near Rybold RD and we visit her and her husband often ...

I do love most of the food choices around here ... but its clear people in Ohio have no idea what Chili is ... because if what Skyline passes off is good to your taste buds? Wow ... just wow ... No wonder my Nephew in Law was thrilled when I made him some real chili.

On the other hand State & Shake ... always a crowd pleaser ... as is Smash Burger.... and we both love Krogers.

For you, west is probably the best option.

And the bolded part - those are fighting words around here haha. But seriously though, the key with Cincy chili is that it's not chili. Or at least not what the average American conjures when they think about chili. WILW put it well - if it were called anything else, it'd be considered some rare delicacy. But because we call it chili, the debate ensues....


Glad to hear you like Steak n' Shake, Kroger, and Smashburger though! Not sure if you've tried Izzy's or Penn Station yet, but those are two of my regional favorites, and both are locally founded and still local/regional chains. If you make it over to Tylersville Rd. in West Chester / Mason, Milano's and Marion's (pizza and subs from Dayton, respectively) are both good and have relatively unique regional food choices.

If you go to Marion's though, the Big Cheese is a must. Other pizzas there don't cut it.

[kjbrill]

^^
If you go to Marion's, please go to one of the originals in Dayton. The Mason location just plain sucks.

My favorite watering hole is the Bdubs across Snider Rd from Marions. My cronies and I watched all of the months they were building Marion's, took forever, very impressive building.

After it opened, waited a couple of weeks for them to get the kinks out, and made a visit with my brother and sister-in-law. There wasn't a single thing we liked about it, starting with the main product - pizza. That is a style of pizza none of us liked. Left more on the table than we consumed. Needless to say haven't been back.

Since then the cronies and I sit on the patio at Bdubs and we have a betting pool going. The bet is how long until Marion's closes the doors? The parking lot, which is huge, is empty as can be every afternoon and evening. We speculate whether the number of customers equal the wait staff or not. Now we assume the cars out the rear of the building are the wait staff. And even at only one person per car they outnumber the customers, especially at the times there are zero cars in the customer lot, which is way too frequently.

Among my cronies, virtually every one of them has been to Marion's at least once. Still am waiting for the first person to say that was good. Most agree won't go back.

I have to agree something is wrong here. How can a chain so successful in Dayton come here and lay a big egg? The worst cheap frozen pizza beats the taste of this.

Some say our expectations were too high based on their reputation in Dayton. BS, good is good and bad is bad. Others say it is a different taste you have to get acclimated to, sort of like Cincinnati Chili. Well if that is the Dayton Pizza Taste, I can think of at least a dozen chains which should be rushing to build stores there.

[goyguy]

Originally Posted by ProkNo5

Do people really consider Rookwood a "luxury" shopping center!?! It's a freaking strip mall, and a horribly designed one at that. I have zero interest in ever going there.

Many people do associate "luxury" with an independent book store and a Whole Foods.
As for the OP's looking westward, my first thought was Harrison. It and much of the rest of western Hamilton County are turning into suburban sprawl due to relatively new highways and racial-change panic in Cincinnati neighborhoods on that side of town. (Incidentally, one of those neighborhoods is Mt Airy. Although some sections remain great places to live, with some eye-catching homes, the commercial district is mostly kaput. And it doesn't bode well for the future of this area that some entire streets, as well as significant parts of the main drag, are lined with rental complexes and brick-box apartment houses which have "gone to seed.")
From Harrison it would be a relatively easy commute to the medical area, as I-74 has by far the fewest congestion problems of the expressways leading into town. Just go south one exit on 75 at the end, turn east, cross over the highway and Central Parkway, and you're on West MLK "just like that."

I'm still snickering at the thought of a transplant from Massachusetts finding fault with Cincy motorists. Driving that's practically worry-free, and cheaper real estate, are some of the strongest selling points the OKI Tri-State has.

[American Luxury]

There is a new subdivision being built on Wesselman Rd. You guys may want to check that out. It's also less than five minutes from I-74.