It seems like it has been ages since I have wandered far afield, wandered at all in fact. I’ve been in a prolonged nesting phase, and preoccupied as I have been with the personal details of fur and feathers and all things cozy and personal, I have been absent from these pages.
But I went out. Not far, merely to Cincinnati, a mere four-hour drive. I had a great time and I am surprised to say I think I may go back.
DAY1
Garbo and I drove up from Knoxville. Up meaning North. I feel I have to qualify that statement because I live in a place where sometimes it seems to me that “up” can be any which direction. I am sure there are rules as to usage but I have yet to discern what they may be.
Anyway. We drove north. We picked up my friend Liana at the airport, and had a leisurely lunch on a shady patio under one of the flyways near the airport. It was not quiet, but the afternoon floated languorously away, three calm ladies enjoying the breeze and conversation.
The rest of that first day was spent settling in, taking a walk with Garbo who was not at all certain that she is a city dog. As we walked we admired some of the murals painted on the sides of buildings and Garbo searched eagerly for the world she once knew, namely grass. We found a small park with some raised planting beds. They had to suffice. I ended the day with a drink and a bowl of mussels. The drink, named “An Italian in Manhattan” was a marriage of some of my favorite flavors — Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Monin black sugar, and black walnut bitters. The drink was excellent, the mussels were merely okay, but they served a function and it was a good day.
I was not planning on being ambitious on this trip. I’ve been struggling with energy levels this spring and summer and the purpose of this outing was to see an opera on Thursday night (day 3), so I had no specific plans.
Day 2
Garbo and I wandered a little further in the morning, and we found a grassy knoll outside the main branch of the Cincinnati library, which also had this lovely book sculpture in a corner of the courtyard.
As to other adventures, we went to the Hyde Park area, where we went to a yarn shop in search of a particular size of double point needles. I oohed over some Knitting for Olive yarns, something I have only, so far, admired online. And also some locally dyed merino in the perfect shade of muted plum. Reader, I did not buy it. I have been unpacking and cataloging yarn and knitting patterns and my head was too full of all the things I wanted to knit, patiently waiting for me at home. We explored Hyde Park, had lunch, stopped in a little gallery, and bought Garbo an apple, one of her favorite treats.
That evening we had tickets to go to a play at the Cincinnatti Shakespeare company, a new play called Dogberry and Verges are Scared, based on the eponymous characters from Much Ado About Nothing. This was a lucky impromptu treat. Facebook knew we were in Cincinnati, one of the rare times I might thank big brother for watching over me, and told us of this production.
We went to dinner at a lovely little mediterranean spot, where we shared a few small plates, including a beautifully composed wedge salad:
And then off to the play.
The play was one of the most ridiculous and sublimely funny things I’ve seen in a long, long time. We were there for a preview night, and I had few complaints. The acting was superb, the actors were all obviously experienced shakespearean actors, and, even though this was a modern play, it honored Shakespeare nicely, as well as courting modern tastes. I thought the actor who was playing Dogberry, apparently a late substitution, was a trifle to earnest in his efforts; but I still enjoyed the play.
We had our picture taken outside the playhouse, and enjoyed a leisurely walk back to our hotel, where I snapped one more picture of a mural.
And I fell into an exhausted sleep.
To be continued.
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