Any Cincy DUers up for a meetup with two Texans?

[PDittie]

The lovely Mrs. Dittie and I will be tacking some vacation onto the end of her business in Cincinnatti the weekend of August 12-14.

We're going to eat, drink, and be merry and we'd be delighted if some kindred spirits were willing to join us... PM me or post here.

(The DUers in the Texas forum can vouch for me...)

Even if you cannot join us, but have some ideas about things we should see/do while we're in town, we would be appreciative. In fact, I'm certain we will see the Underground Railroad Museum and the Harriet Beecher Stowe home and probably do a Sunday riverboat jazz brunch...

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Eat chili.

Get at least 3-way. Unless you're vegetarians, of course. Cincy chili is like no other and it's part of the local experience. Skyline Chili is everywhere but you'll be tripping over chili parlors.

[PDittie]

2. There is no such thing as a native Texan vegetarian.

Kidding, of course.

It seems like it'll be too hot to eat chili to me. What's a 3-way (with respect to chili, I know what the sexual connotation is, thankyewverramuch)... is that a brand or the name of a restaurant?

[lizzieforkerry]

3. Yummy! A three-way is how Cincy eats chili.

It is a plate of spaghetti, with cincy chili on it covered with cheddar cheese. All chili houses have three-way or 4 or 5-ways (onions and red beans). The most popular are Skyline Chili (my personal favorite), Gold Star Chili, or Empress Chili. You add oyster crackers to it and tabasco sauce(if you like it spicy). It sounds strange but you can't come here and not try it. The restaurants are air conditioned so you won't be too hot!!

You have to get ice cream at Graeter's. Oprah's favorite is Chocolate raspberry. My favorite is Double Chocolate. It has been ranked as the best in the country.

I'm always up for meeting DUers!

[PDittie]

4. Can I get it with everything but the noodles?

The rest of those ingredients are Texas chili staples. Maybe throw in a few jalapenos.

We're staying downtown and aren't renting an auto, so anything we go to will be within walking/cabbing distance.

[Gormy Cuss]

6. No, no, no!

You must try it with spaghetti once or you will not get the right combination of tastes and textures. 4 way adds onions, 5 way beans.
The spicing is not hot (that's why Tabasco is added at the table by some.) I repeat, it is not in any way Texas chili. It's really an entirely different dish with "chili" being the name they hung on it because it's ground meat and a few other chili ingredients. As a Texan, you must not think of it as chili or you will hate it. Think of it as Cincy stew, but please try it. The way to have it without spaghetti is on a Coney, a hotdog with chili on top.
You should be able to find an outlet of one of the big three near you.

[LaurenG]

8. Fyi about the Chili here

Please don't take offense but this is NOT the chili you are thinking of. I lived in Texas most of my life. This isn't what you think. Its a sweeter cinnamon tasting, not jalapeno hot at all meat sauce. More like a spaghetti sauce but not that sweet.

[PDittie]

10. I like cinnamon a lot

I put it in my coffee and my cereal and my protein drink (I'm diabetic and it actually helps control my glucose).

But I also like my food verrrry spicy, so it sounds like I ought to pack my own habanero.

[Emops]

5. The Newport Aquarium is great.

And if you want to make the trek up here to Dayton, the US Air Force museum is well worth it.

[LaurenG]

7. My husband and I would be happy

to meet with you two. We can meet after work. Let me know, maybe we can get other DUer's to come too.

[PDittie]

9. Marvelous, OB!

Can you suggest any good places for say, Friday evening the 12th?

[roseBudd]

12. I'm in Cincinnati and I'm up for a meetup

[LaurenG]

13. Hi Rosebud

Do you have any suggestions about where to meet up? Does anyone else want to join in? A chance to meet other DUers. Maybe we can do Saturday afternoon?

[mosin]

11. Texans in Ohio

As an expatriate Texan in Ohio, I can second the comments on Cincinnati chili. It is not Texas chili, but is excellent. Think fine ground beef boiled in a mixture of spices. Skyline has a hint of cinnamon. Gold Star is a bit more traditionally spiced. I like both. I usually get a 4-way (chili, spaghetti, onions, cheese) and eat it with oyster crackers and some hot sauce.

My wife is going to be in Minnesota that weekend, so any meetings are probably out--I'll have the kids--but I hope you have a good time. It sounds like you have enough ideas to keep you busy. :hi:

[roseBudd]

14. Great restaurants to check out and neighborhoods...

since you will see lots of Kerry/Edwards bumperstickers:

Slim's in Northside

Tink's in Clifton

Ambar India in Clifton

Cilantro (Vietnamese) in Clifton Heights

Thai Cafe in Clifton or Teak Thai in Mt. Adams or Kung Din (thai) downtown 7th & Vine

Akash India (downtown)

Mejana (middle eastern downtown)

and don't forget Findlay Market on Sat. or Sun (Over-the-Rhine)

[LaurenG]

15. Cincy MEET UP: A few of us will meet with Mr. and Mrs. PDittie

Nothing is firmed up yet. Rosebud57 has compiled a very nice list of places to meet up and the pditties would like to meet any and all Cincinnati DU'ers. Please just raise your hand and we'll set this up.

[roseBudd]

16. Aioli is good too, 8th & Elm

just blocks from downtown hotels

[PDittie]

17. Texas Bloggers for Paul Hackett:

"Fight 'em 'til Hell freezes over, and then fight 'em on the ice"

(Yes, that's me.) :patriot:

[PDittie]

18. Giving this a kick -- we'll be there next week

Who's getting hungry? :9