The two-time Tony Award winning Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park is currently running a fantastically funny production by one of the nation’s premier comedy empires. Second City’s semi-improvisational show Cincinnati: Pride and Porkopolis jokes about all the Queen City’s quintessential items – from the Bengals to Cincinnati-style chili, and from Marge Schott to Jerry Springer.
In a format somewhat similar to Saturday Night Live, the show features numerous short sketches that will leaves the audience laughing hysterically.
Chicago-based Second City has produced such talent as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Chris Farley, Mike Meyers, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Jane Lynch, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, and Steve Carell. Cincinnati native Mick Naiper directs this production’s cast: Ryan Archibald, Katie Caussin, Joe Dempsey, Sayjal Joshi, Anthony LeBlanc, and Andel Sudik.
Cincinnati: Pride and Porkopolis runs Tuesday through Sunday every week until its closing on January 9. Shows on the weeknights will also feature a special segment of improvisation that includes a mix of games and scenes based completely on suggestions from the audience.
The full schedule of performances can be found online where you can also purchase tickets and find more information. The Playhouse box office (map) can also be reached by calling (513) 421-3888.
Seoul is a contradiction. It is a massive, cosmopolitan city with more than 24 million inhabitants. The city is culturally rich, historically significant, but also young, trendy, and a modern day economic powerhouse. But how then does the city also give off a timid, often conservative, feeling as well? The answer is, predictably, explained through the people that populate the buildings, streets, and urban environment.
I have been in Seoul for just over a month, and the contradictions are striking. The rich culture is what I believe keeps the people here so grounded and driven. Koreans want to be the best, they want to please, and they sacrifice in order to make your experience better. This is not something you would expect from a city with a young population that has also seen a relatively massive surge of foreigners enter its borders over the past 20 years.
So far I have not done nearly as much of the “must do” touristy things as I should have, but I have made some terrific Korean friends. Instead of checking out the palaces (which I plan to do) or posing for pictures on Namsan Mountain or atop Seoul Tower, I have instead spent my time living as much like a local as possible. I have been working long days and weeks, but I have been playing hard too – something for which Koreans are somewhat notorious.
One of my favorite things to do, besides karaoke, is to grab food from one of the omnipresent street vendors. While some cities in the United States might try to stand toe-to-toe with Seoul in this weight class, they might not realize what they are up against. To fully understand Seoul’s street food culture you must think beyond the meat on a stick, Ddeokbokki (spicy rice cakes), or the utterly delicious Hoddeok (honey, cinnamon-filled pancakes). Pojangmacha (tent restaurants) can be found in most districts throughout the city and they are where you can find some of the wildest food offerings, and one of the most humbling and interesting experiences you could ask for when dining on the curb.
Pojangmacha can range in size from a small tent that seats about four people inside in addition to the small grill working away, to a huge tent that seats dozens and dozens. Primarily known for being cheap places for drinking Soju or beer, the idea is that these are locations where everyone can sit down, eat, and drink regardless of social or economic standing. As a result you often find an interesting mix of people inside the cozy tent restaurants, and it is something that you must try while visiting Seoul or other major cities throughout Korea.
While much of Korea’s growth has occurred in the past three decades, you can still find very significant historic neighborhoods and landmarks almost all throughout the city…even if they might stand in the shadow of a massive, homogeneous and block-style apartment complex. One such district is Bukchon which is located just around the corner from my hotel, and the encroaching skyscrapers, and is famous for its collection of traditional Hanok homes. Bukchon manages to maintain its unique street configuration and almost entirely pedestrian focus even as modernization might be standing in its future.
Contradictions can be frustrating, but they can also be invigorating as is the case with Seoul. I have immediately fallen for the city and its people. There is a sense of calm here amidst the “Bali Bali!” rush that is comforting. It is a comfort might be best explained by saying you can make yourself heard, without raising your voice.
The collection of photographs from November 2010 features images from Bukchon, Insa-dong, Jongro, and Kangnam.
[On Monday, November 1, Metro’s new CEO and General Manager Terry Garcia Crews wrote a letter to Cincinnatians. This is an unedited republishing of that letter in its entirety – Randy.]
Dear Friends of Metro,
Today is my first day as Metro’s CEO & General Manager, and I wanted to share my initial impressions of my new home. Cincinnati is a wonderful place. Metro is a great organization, and I see tremendous potential for our transit system to support the community’s objectives.
My immediate focus will be on a back-to-basics approach of providing safe, on-time, clean, and friendly service to the community. There’s no funding right now for growth, but we intend to maximize the impact of what we have.
Of importance, I want you to know that Metro’s 2011 budget will be balanced without negative changes in service, fares or jobs. We’re stable for now, but budget challenges will continue as the economy struggles to rebound. We’re dedicated to fiscal responsibility and cost containment to maintain current fares and service levels for the next year and hopefully longer.
I don’t intend to operate in a vacuum. I need to better understand the priorities of the community and where Metro fits in. My goal is to meet with community leaders over the coming weeks and months to get a clearer picture of the community’s needs and interest in transit. Listening to all of our stakeholders will help in developing our action plan and establishing a strategic direction.
I hope you will take a minute to share your thoughts about Metro with me via email at tgarciacrews@go-metro.com. Or let me know if you would like to meet and we can schedule a time. I’d also like to welcome you to become my friend and visit our Cincinnati Metro page on Facebook.
I’m looking forward to working with you to move Metro forward.
After spending just over two weeks in Seoul I often feel just as ignorant to the Korean culture as when I arrived, when in fact that could not be further from the truth. I stepped off the plane in Incheon 17 days ago, got on the bus to Seoul, and then proceeded to immediately get lost in Insadong trying to find my hotel on a Saturday night. Since that time I have been able to meet all kinds of new people, try new foods, experience different cultural norms, and dive into a 50 hour work week.
The food has been one of the best things so far. I have tried just about everything under the sun, but I could not begin to tell you what it all is by name. The kimchi is terrific, and served with everything, and the Korean Barbecue is expectedly superb. I have been taking particular interest in the many street food vendors where I am living in Insadong. Meat on a stick, check. Octopus desert treats, check. Spicy rice cakes, check.
The drink has also been an experience too. Feel free to order a beer when in Korea, but do not expect much. The Korean beers, Cass and Hite, are about as good as any generically mass-produced American beer and it is about all they offer. But when you have Soju and Makkoli to choose from, I do not see why you would care. Soju is often the drink of choice for most as they go out. Think of it like a smooth Vodka, but one that keeps flowing as your night continues over various small Korean plates of food. Makkoli on the other hand is made from fermented rice and is casually known as Korean wine. I can tell you wine it is not…especially the trendy fusion Makkoli you will find throughout Seoul. I tried a pineapple fusion Makkoli which was quite good.
What strikes you first about Korea is its people and their attention to detail. The airport is spotless, transit run precisely on-time, streets are kept clean, and almost anything will be done to make sure you are kept happy as a guest. The key here is to be open and try to at least something about the Korean culture and language. At this point I know about a dozen words and when I use them I am greeted by a very positive response from locals who do not expect me to know even the slightest bit of language or culture.
This attention to detail extends to fashion. Now maybe this is because I am located in the heart of a major cosmopolitan city, but both the men and women are fabulously dressed. Heels and designer dresses are standard for women, while men of all ages are almost always seen in tailored suits and designer shoes. Do not go out the least bit wrinkled or think that your non-polished dress shoes are ok because you will stand out, and not in a good way.
The city has been overwhelmingly large. Skyscrapers as far as the eye can see, and a seemingly never-ending urban landscape greets visitors. Seoul is an overpowering city at times. Not only are the buildings tall, but the streets are wide, traffic constantly congested, streets jam packed with people, and a constant buzz exist in almost all parts of the city that I have visited. But what is most interesting is a similar shift toward creating a more livable city. New parks have been developed along the Hahn River and a reclaimed stream through Insadong turned into a recreational trail are two of the more striking features.
On the personal front I have enjoyed several encounters with Asian-style karaoke, was interviewed on KBS News, stumbled upon a Makkoli tasting festival near my hotel, had an Ajuma intentionally run into me with her shopping cart at the store, and have been in too many mind blowingly new situations to count.
This has been fairly long so far, but I hope to do a weekly summary like this going forward until I return to the U.S. in mid-December. Enjoy some of the photographs I have taken thus far throughout Insandong and from a trip I made to the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) last weekend. The week ahead should be quite interesting as my new Korean friends are planning something interesting for my birthday this Friday (and probably Saturday).
For nearly three-and-a-half years I have worked to grow UrbanCincy while also growing myself both professionally and personally. Early rants have turned into breaking news and what I hope is unique insight about Cincinnati’s urban core. Over that time there have been other changes including the site’s contributing members, the amount and quality of content, and the location in which I have run things.
Since June 2009 I have been living full-time in Atlanta where my full-time job is also located. This lesser known fact was not meant to be secretive, nor was it meant to be advertised. It simply was what it was.
Now, however, another change will be taking place. Over the next two months I will be living and working in Seoul, South Korea full-time. This new job assignment will keep me extraordinarily busy between now and mid-December, and will also keep me away from UrbanCincy to a certain degree. Fear not, as UrbanCincy’s contributing members have been rallied and intend on keeping the site active and interesting during this time.
During this time I hope to occasionally poke my head in and share some profound wisdom, or simply share something interesting from my urban experience in Seoul and elsewhere.
This news does not mean I will be completely absent from the site and its material, but it will mean the amount of content may decrease over the next two months. The whole point of writing this piece is to let you know that there is nothing to be concerned about as UrbanCincy will be back to its normal, and hopefully better, operations by the start of 2011. In the mean time enjoy the contributions from UrbanCincy’s highly capable team of writers and photographers.
Those needing to reach me should contact me by email at rsimes@gmail.com. For immediate needs please contact either contributing editor Travis Estell [travis.estell@urbancincy.com] or staff writer Jennifer Kessler [jenlkessler@gmail.com]. Thanks again for reading UrbanCincy and supporting Cincinnati. Cheers.
