The Boilover

For most people last Saturday was probably like any other. Some woke up with hangovers, others watched cartoons, and I’m sure there was no shortage of people lamenting the pouring rain that soaked the city. I spent the better part of the day with ~40 people at Venue 222 for a Brewery District planning workshop, discussing potential catalytic projects that could provide the spark needed to jumpstart real interest in the northern part of the neighborhood.

I actually didn’t realize how fitting it was at the time, but at some point this week it struck me that I have been working on Race St for over a year now. Low and behold, Saturday was in fact the one year anniversary of my first (and only to date) property purchase [Do I hear $5,000]. I have over 600 hours of blood and sweat (amazingly enough I haven’t cried over this yet) and a whole bunch of money invested in my future abode.

So for this Friday’s update (since at this point I’m posting once a week) I figured I’d share some progress photos. With plumbing and electric 90% complete rough in inspections are around the corner, and I can’t wait to board it all up and start working on the stuff I’ll see everyday.

1st Floor

View from the front door when I bought the place

Old shitty plumbing run up through the middle of the space

New awesome plumbing in one stack run correctly and off to the side of the first floor

My supply storage on the first floor

It definitely smelled like there was a dead body in there

At least it's clean...still need a new door and a new staircase...

2nd Floor

The crack den

Aptly named

The Dill

At least the junk is gone....still about 1,000,000 roaches in there at that point....I almost threw up in my respirator a number of times....

The only thing I kept was the furnace that was actually pretty new

I've been framed!

Utilities in....this might actually work....

Size does matter....200 amps baby!

3rd Floor

Compared to the 2nd floor this was gold

And I thought I was gonna patch it and move in....

But sledgin' got the better of me

I feel so exposed!

That oven has lived through the entire demo process as my upstairs toolbox...

Framed again!

More utilities

Other gems that remind me that I’ve been working my ass off and I wouldn’t trade this project for the world.

The very first pic that I took at race about 3 hours after I bought the place

The old roof

The new roof

The building was once owned by one of the city's most powerful brewers...and 100 years after that it was home to some of the cities most powerful guns...

And while it's been a mostly solo effort...

....a project like this doesn't happen without dedicated friends...

...and lot's of planning...

....all done with a (tired) smile on my face!

Stopping at Race St the other day to check on plumbing and electrical progress (I finally bit the bullet and paid an actual plumber and electrician to come do the work), I rolled upstairs to find pink tinted clouds looming over some neighboring buildings. I guess it hasn’t been all that long, but Ohio winters can be a bear, and seemed like forever since I had hung out on the roof, just taking it all in. So much going on, so much on my mind, and it all just slides to the back burner for a few when nature throws me a little something to stare at.

After the crack heard round the world (really around the block) it’s been a while since I’ve had consistent two wheeled propulsion. Until two weeks ago that is, when I finally joined the 700c club so I can rocket around town without big knobbies and full suspension. That means longer rides, more distance, and most importantly a huge grin on my face.

As always, the camera comes with so I can snap along the way. Nothing like hauling ass up a hill with a good photo op as a reward.

As for Fermentable Friday (or Friday? BEER!) you can rest assured that I enjoyed a tasty brew after a ride like this.

I on the other hand, don’t have much to be depressed about. In fact, one of the only things souring my otherwise stellar mood is the fact that I can’t seem to make the time to post to this site regularly. It has nothing to do with retaining readership (what readership) or trying to be a premier Cincinnati blog (that just sounds ridiculous). No what’s got me down is the fact that I’ve always been a web/computer/picture/video guy, and doing anything semi creative on the computer is a blast for me. On top of that I enjoy writing and I have a lot of fun creating content for the site, it’s like a diary that I can look back to and go “man that was a good time” or “damn, what was I thinking?” Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the feedback from the Cincy interweb scene, but I really enjoy the process just as much as the end result and being part of this digital community.

Anyway….

It’s been so long since I wrote a food post, I thought, what better for blogging depression than pictures of delicious food! Even if I haven’t been posting, I can assure I’ve still been taking plenty of pics.

Right now I’m on a shroom kick with these amazing, super flavorful creminis from Daisy Mae’s Market.

They hold up so much better than their baby white counterparts, and they’re damn tasty…especially with peppers and onions.

Add that rice and chicken korma all of a sudden dinner and heaven become synonymous.

And for desert? How about Skirtz & Johnson’s decadent brownies and macaroons…

…with some moose tracks….

…and chocolate sauce…

….and perhaps some whipped cream….

….topped with chocolate chips!

Ok, I feel a lot better now.

Bockfest and St. Patty’s day, all we need is Opening Day and the trifecta will be complete. And what better for Fermentable Friday (or Friday? BEER!) than pictures of parades for drinking-centric holidays.

Bockfest

Hops littered the ground after the parade!

All for this...Geneseeeeeee!

I might have to ride this in next years parade

St. Patty’s Day

The Square was jammed!

Good times had by all. If only we had that St. Patty’s (parade) Day weather all year!