Celebrating the Holidays in Ohio!
Can you all believe that December is already here? We are now wearing our sweaters, drinking hot
cocoa, burning our favorite holiday candles, and gearing up for Christmas! My the time has flown by this
year. 2021 has been an interesting one and we must say, we are so ready for the holiday season! And
we are back with our final partnership of the year with Ohio. Find It Here. to bring you some fun
activities to do during the holidays with family, friends and/or your significant other. What makes this so
fun and special is, all of the activities we share can be done right here in Cincinnati! So grab your coats,
grab a few of your friends, and let’s get active in the Queen City!
Pick up your tree and all things holidays from Findlay Market!
The tree sale at Findlay Market is a huge fundraiser for them! They have such a great selection with new
ones being regularly delivered. Whether you want big or small, they have the perfect fit for your family.
The tree/greens sale is located on the west side of the Market, at Jane’s Bar. I, Tiff D. can’t wait to pick
mine out and get to decorating!
While you are there, you can also do the following:
Pick up food for family gatherings: Findlay Market has an amazing selection of food. It ranges from fresh
pastas, spices, meat and seafood, breads and so much more. Anything that you’d make for your family
(including ethnic cuisines), you’d likely find the ingredients for here. This is a great way to support your
local farmers and vendors.
Elves on Elder: This is a magical experience that’s located in the Leader Furniture building. In the
daytime, they have transformed it into a space where your kids can enjoy Christmas decorations, color
and take pictures. In the evening, they have a pop-up lounge where there is live music and warm drinks.
They’ll also have different food merchants inside with different options, one being cheese plates for
purchase from The Rhined (YUM!!!)
Daytime event times- 10a-3p
Evening event times- 5-10p
Stop by Washington Park for Strauss Troy Winter Market!
Washington Park is offering holiday shopping weekends to shop small and support local. This will include
local artisans, crafters, and business owners. Stop by Fridays from 11a-7p or Saturday/Sunday from 11a-
6p to get your shop on! We guarantee you’ll find something for your loved ones while keeping your
favorite businesses in business! Vendors vary each weekend so be sure to visit their website to get an
up-to-date list.
In addition to holiday shopping, they are also offering Santa’s workshop where your little ones can take
a socially distanced picture with Santa Claus! Now who doesn’t love that?! All you need to do is bring
your own camera and you’ll have memories to last a lifetime!
Hours are Saturdays and Sundays from 12-4p.
Ice Skating like Kristi Yamaguchi
Did you know that you and your friends can skate at an outdoor ice arena in the middle of downtown?
Yep, you sure can! Every year, UC Health and Fifth Third Bank present an outdoor ice arena that takes
over Fountain Square. It is so much fun to get on the ice and feel like a kid again. It is even funnier when
you go with a small group of friends and everyone is out on the ice looking like babies trying to walk. LOL
Do not bother with a workout for the day because you will get the perfect leg day workout going around
the rink 3 times. Tiff B. and Tiff D. hit the ice rink like we were Kristi Yamaguchi! HAHA, more like her
students in training! Nonetheless, while we have no skills close to Kristi, we had a ball ice skating to
celebrate a friend’s birthday! Ice skating is a fun holiday activity. It brought us joy while skating around
the rink. It reminded us of being free, enjoying life’s beautiful moments. While we did it with a small
group of girlfriends, ice skating can also be enjoyed with family. There were a few families and smaller
children out on the rink as well. If you are looking for an outdoor activity that is unique and whimsical,
ice skating at Fountain Square is for you!
Try Holiday Cocktails
We loveeeee all of the fun holiday cocktails that are offered around this time of year. And there are so
many local bars that offer specialties. Of course you can get your typical holiday coffees, but we enjoy
fun spiked ones �� One of the places Tiff D. visited was Anjou, which is a super cute bar in Walnut Hills.
They’ve always had a very cute vibe that is really nice and relaxed. For the holidays, they have two
specials:
The Shandy Claus: It has aromatized wine, herbal liqueur, lemon, cranberry, rosemary, sage, hard cider,
bitters- This one was a fav!
Carver’s Secrets: It has bourbon, amaro, ginger liqueur, cinnamon, sweet potato shrub, bitters and egg
white- This was the most creative!
Be a Wax Chandler
If you know anything about Tiff Squared or watch our stories (if you do not, you should!), we love
candles! We are always trying to find the best candle companies around, plus there is nothing like a
nicely scented candle burning with a holiday scent! Tiff B. had the opportunity to take a candle making
class with Manitou Candle Co. Manitou is located approximately
10 minutes outside of downtown Cincinnati. It is the cutest candle shop that offers candles, stationery,
home décor, lifestyle, kitchen and bar, bath and beauty, prints, jewelry, children’s items, and men’s
wear. This is a super cute place to buy that female in your life the perfect gift. They offer 100 scents of
pre-made candles. They also offer candle making classes held right in their studio. The candle class is so
much fun and is the perfect holiday activity for yourself or with a friend. I went by myself but there were
a few smaller groups of friends (2-3) or mom and daughter duos. The studio and candle making room is
super picturesque. The class is 1.5 hours and walks you step-by-step through making two candles. The
class is $50. This is a great deal because each 11 oz. candle in the store is $25 therefore you are only
paying for the candles themselves, but the experience is free. That is a win in my book because
sometimes the best experiences in life are priceless. I choose two scents which were Merry Merry and
Vanilla Chai and mixed them together. This was the perfect Christmas candle for me. I name my candle
Vanilla Chai Christmas. Shelby was my class teacher, and she was awesome! They also allow you to
BYOB! Kind of like paint and sip but be a chandler and sip. What is a chandler you ask? A chandler is
someone who handles wax. If you are looking for a fun, more creative holiday activity this one has your
name all over it!
Let the Light Guide You
Every year, Ohio. Find It Here celebrates Holidays in Ohio with a campaign to support the Ohio Holiday
Lights Trail. They encourage Ohio’s 88 counties to go all out on Holiday themed decorations. From fancy
lights to full on displays, this still allows everyone to celebrate and get into the Holiday spirit. One of the
festival of lights locations is the Cincinnati Zoo. They host the PNC Festival of Lights. This is the perfect activity for families. I, Tiff B., went with my husband and two small daughters. It was the best 2-in-1 combination. You get to experience the zoo as well as see all the lights.
My 5 year-old loved being able to see some of the animals. While all of the animals are not out on
display, they do have a few. We even saw the city’s favorite, Fiona, the hippo. We went mid-afternoon
to be able to get the full effects of the lights when it got dark. It was perfect! The zoo was lit in
a rainbow of colors. It was a great experience and a fun thing to see. If you have children and are looking for a fun-family
activity to brighten up your holiday cheer, this one is for you.
We hope these suggestions give you lots to do for the holidays! We look forward to seeing what you all
plan out with your families. Happy Holidays everyone! Cheers to you!
Fall in Ohio
Fall is Here! How many of you have been waiting for Fall weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, sweaters, chill cool nights, and a fall inspired weekend getaway? If you answered yes, we have some cool and fun activities for you! Also, if you have been following Pursuit of Delights in partnership with Ohio. Find It Here.; you know we have been on a journey exploring Ohio and all the goodness it has to offer. While it is time to say goodbye to summer, we welcome Fall with open arms! Ohio is beautiful in the Fall and is such a special time. The weather begins to chill, and you can feel the brisk breeze. Hues of orange, red and yellow take over the trees, and our favorite fall flavors return. It is the perfect time to take a fall-inspired getaway. There is so much to do, explore, and see. We had the opportunity to travel to different areas in Ohio to experience Amish country, taste delicious wine at Breitenbach Winery, go apple picking at Peifer Orchard, and experience fall foliage while exploring Blooms & Berries Fall on the Farm. Let us hop right into Fall in Ohio!
A Visit to Amish Country
Have you ever wondered about Amish country, its people, and their way of life? Maybe you wonder do they still really travel by horse and buggy. If this is something you have pondered, I am here to tell you yes, they still travel by horse and buggy and watching them in their environment is so unique. Remember, Amish people are people like you and I, but their day-to-day life is different as well as what they believe in. One thing I can attest to is that Amish People work very hard! You may think, ok so do I! Most are entrepreneurs and create their own life sustainability with a craft they learn at an early age. Did you know that Amish people only go to school through the 8th grade? They make a way of living on an 8th grade education and are successful. They have big families to help with labor whether it be on their farm or running their family business. They are close knit people. They also live and have their businesses at the same location. Most Amish with businesses live on acres of land to be able to house the family in a house, and the business right next to it. How cool is that? You and I may think wow, I would never live where I work. However, they live in an environment with low crime and having people come to where they live is a second thought. They generally stay within their sects (or area) and do not travel outside of that area often. Occasionally they will travel to fish, hunt or on vacation, but remember they do not drive. Now you are asking how they get around, well horse and buggy and bikes (both electric and pedal). No, they do not take the horse and buggy for a road trip. It would take 2 hours to go 20 miles. Bikes have become a new way of life for them. They can travel around town faster and more efficiently. What would take 2 hours on horse and buggy, takes 45 minutes on an electric bike. What is the moral of the story here? Do not take small things such as bikes for granted. What we may see as an everyday item, is a commodity to other groups of people and their cultures. Depending on how you get around has to be approved by the Bishop, head of the church. There is so much to learn and see about the Amish that a day trip is perfect, and you will find yourself in awe.
While you could explore Amish country on your own, Amish country is huge in Ohio, so where do you begin? I got to explore Amish country through an amazing tour called Troyer’s Amish Tours in Sugarcreek, OH. They have quite a few different tours to choose from. I choose to go on the Down the Road 3-hour tour. It was an amazing and informative experience and I learned so much. The amazing tour guide, Rich, took us through the backroads of Amish country. No two tours are alike! You learn about the history of Amish people and where they originated. You get to see how they live as well as make some stops to a few of the local thriving businesses. We met a few family members of those businesses while stopping by their shops. The entire tour is narrated. It is a unique experience and keeps you engaged the entire time. Trust me, I know. Myself and the small group I was in asked plenty of questions. The more Rich spoke, the more we became intrigued and wanted to know LOL! Amish country is certainly one for the books. Grab a buddy and hit the road to explore Amish Country and what it has to offer.
TIP: Most Amish businesses do not accept credit card so bring cash.
FUN FACTS:
-Chicken houses hold 25,000 chicken and chicken come in at 8 hrs old from the hatchery
-Amish do not drive, Mennonites do
-Amish can not have a cell phone with a data package or a car
-Amish do not have tvs
-Amish keep up with the news through newspaper
-3 Orders and 11 sects
-Amish do not take pictures of themselves. They do not have family portraits. It is against their religion
-Amish only go to school till 8th grade
-Amish do not vote for people that can dictate life and death on a person (i.e. president, judge, etc.)
-Amish land is expensive (for 5 acres $50,000 an acre)
-Teachers only have an 8th grade education (salary ranges from $1200-$1500 a month)
-Generally Men do not teach due to income level
-Usually single women teach. Once they court, date or get married the women will quit work and focus on their marriage
-20 miles would take you 2 hours on a buggy, and 45 minutes on an e-bike
-$8,000 for a buggy and 125 man hours
-Wheels will last 7 years
-Schrock’s Buggy is the oldest buggy shop on Holmes County
-If you’re getting married, you grow a beard
-One Amish man raises camels for a petting zoo
-They milk camels
-Camels milk is very nutritious
-Largest wood working facility in the state
-Amish are great wood workers
-Wood working is the largest industry in this community
-Most Amish do not wear shoes. They go barefoot because they say shoes are heavy.
-Old race horses are brought to Amish country to be street safe/trained
-Mom and Pop wood working shops are huge
-All Amish kids are not Rumshpringa (roam around and leave the culture for awhile)
Breitenbach Winery
Did someone say WINEry? LOL! I love a good glass of wine and a cute winery! Located a short distance from Troyer’s Amish Tours, nestled among the rolling hills of Ohio’s Amish countryside, Der Marktplaz, is home of Breitenbach Wine Cellars. “Breitenbach” is German, meaning “bright or broad stream”, and is the name of the stream that runs through the winery grounds. Breitenbach produces an array of extensive award-winning grape, fresh fruit, and berry wines, and what they are most known for, Dandelion wine. They produce 40 varieties of grape and fruit wines resulting in about 150,000 gallons. WOOOOW! That’s a lot of wine, but hey someone must make it for us wine lovers.
When I drove down the road to get to Breitenbach and was greeted by the purple and red accent colors popping off the building and wine barrels lined along the base, I knew I was in for a real treat. I got out of the car and immediately started taking pictures. What I love is that they grow their own grapes and make their wine on site. What really caught my attention was the purple “Winemakers Barn”. It was so cute! While I did not go inside, the outside was enough to make me say how cool. I am not sure about you but I love a good snack like cheese or a charcuterie board while drinking wine. When you walk in, there is a cheese section along with all the wine to purchase. After this is the sampling area! I stopped to talk to the lady behind the sampling bar, and then walks up Anita. Anita, is one of the daughters of the founder. We chat for a few minutes then she invited me over to sample some wine. They have plenty of flavors to choose from and man did I indulge. They also have a great tasting offer. You can sample 4 wines for $1.00. Yes, you read that correct! I ended up sampling 12 wines. I am a sweet wine drinker so I did not try any of the dry wines. I also like fruit wines and they have 15 flavors to choose from. I grabbed a cheese and cracker plate and enjoyed my wine tasting. I enjoyed the hospitality Breitenbach shared and enjoyed the wine they offer. They are doing some amazing wine making! Also, make sure to try the Dandelion wine. It is unique! By the time wine tasting ended, I left with 5 bottles of wine and 2 candles. What can I say, I am a girl who loves her wine and candles! I highly encourage experiencing Amish country and then relaxing at Breitenbach Winery! The is the perfect day trip.
TIP: Aside from the wine tasting, Café, and gift shop, you’ll also find many events occurring throughout the year at Breitenbach. Festivals, outdoor concerts, special tasting and cooking events, live music and barbecue, and other events happen year-round.
The most popular event is the Dandelion Festival, which typically happens the first weekend in May every year.
Peifer Orchards
Have you ever been apple picking? As a girl from the south, I am familiar with canning veggies and shucking corn, but I have never been to an orchard until now. As they say, it is a first for everything. This Fall I wanted to experience something with my family that was different but that we could all enjoy. Apple Picking it is! When I was looking for Fall activities for us to do, I came across Peifer Orchards and knew this was being added to the to-do list. I grabbed my husband and our girls, dressed them in cute gingham dresses and on our way, we went to the orchard. Peifer Orchards is located in Yellow Springs, OH. There is plenty to do in Yellow Springs. Yellow Springs could be the perfect getaway that includes Peifer Orchards, shopping, biking, hiking, and restaurants. Also, I loved that there is an orchard located not far from where we live.
What I loved about the orchard is when we arrived, it immediately gave us all the Fall and southern vibes. Pumpkins, a cute country store, gravel road, and an experience I will never forget. There is a long walk to the orchard but it was great family time walking and talking. It was hilarious to listen to our little ones talk about apples and what they thought the orchard would look like. We finally got to the end of two-lane gravel path, and there stands acres of apple trees. WOW! The girls and I were in awe. None of us had ever seen an orchard in real life and boy were we amazed. It was a field of green trees with the cutest apples hanging off of them. Some of them even looked like Christmas trees. This was such a picturesque backdrop! They have a few different apple varieties as well as apple colors. My kids enjoyed apple picking to the core! They immediately ran down the rows and started picking apples off the trees. We had our buckets and were ready to fill them with delicious, crisp apples. We all picked a few apples and tossed them in the buckets. The kids did more than their fair share of picking, but they enjoyed themselves and that’s all that matters! I’m not sure that we were supposed to be eating the apples while picking, but my youngest, sweet Robyn, did not waste any time indulging. Let’s just say she snagged the best apples for her afternoon snack. LOL! Once our buckets were full, which did not take long we headed back down the gravel road to head back. We could not leave without heading inside of the country store. They have food, plants, and all things Fall. We even tried their Apple Cider Slush which was amazing and bought some Amish baked goods! Needless to say, our time at Peifer Orchards was nothing short of amazing. Grab your family or friends and set out to enjoy some apple picking! If you want to make it a getaway or a day trip, explore all of Yellow Springs. It is an amazing city.
Blooms & Berries’ Fall on the Farm
It is Fall, and that means pumpkin patch, pumpkin spice and everything nice and Fall on the Farm! I do not know about you, but I grew up going to pumpkin patches and now made it a tradition with my husband and girls. Every year at Fall, we visit a pumpkin patch and fully indulge in this special time of the year. The past two years, we have been making our way to Booms & Berries’ Fall on the Farm. Fall on the Farm is a family-fun event at Blooms & Berries Farm beginning September 18th through October 31st daily. There are so many fun things to do at the farm such as: hayrides, pumpkin patch, pony rides (only on certain weekends), corn maze, beer garden, sunflower patch (very picturesque), farm animals, play areas, a huge pumpkin balloon bounce, caramel apple float, and so much more. My family and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as we went from area to area and all around. They really enjoyed the big slide that they have as well as just roaming around and soaking in all the crisp Fall air. We really enjoy Fall on the Farm as a family and there is so much for the kids to do. I love that there is something at every corner. My kids never got bored. It is a time we experience as a family full of excitement and joy! As you can tell, my family and I really enjoy Fall. If you are looking for an amazing pumpkin patch with tons of things for the family to do, Fall on the Farm is for you!
While summer has ended, that does not mean the fun has to stop! Grab family or friends and explore Ohio’s beauty in the Fall. Experience the best fall foliage in many of Ohio’s different cities. Enjoy the cool crisp air while watching the leaves on the trees change. Enjoy all the Pumpkin Spice you can bare and create the best memories in such a wonderful season!
The Last Summer Hurrah!
While we enjoy the heat, blossoms, and treats that summer brings, we also enjoy welcoming Fall just as much. However, we still have about two months left of summer. You are just in time for the last hurrah! There are plenty of things to see and do to close out the summer. With vacation seasoning ending and back-to-school time just around the corner, it’s time to indulge in every bit of summertime left. How can you enjoy the last bit of summer you ask? Well let us tell you – take an impromptu road trip, visit an amusement park for all the adrenaline rush thrills, visit a museum and learn a little history, or take the kids to a cool Dairy Farm. Grab that last minute summer bucket list and start crossing off those activities waiting to be explored. Now is the time to take a Rock & Ride Road Trip, a Family Fun Road Trip, or a mixture of both. We have partnered with Ohio. Find It Here. to bring you our top last minute summer activities for your August adventure.
Cedar Point
Have you been to an amusement park this year? If not, you must visit Ohio’s Cedar Point. Cedar Point is located in Sandusky, OH, right outside of Cleveland. If an adrenaline rush and need for speed is your thing, you will certainly find it here. They are known as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World, with jaw dropping drops on certain rides. Talk about a fun time and an amazing experience. They have your traditional rides like the Ferris Wheel, Loopty Loop Rides, Water Rides, and Kid’s Rides. Then there are the rides that they are most known for like Top Thrill Dragster, GateKeeper, Millennium Force, and more. This park is full of rides with adventure, twist, and turns. My husband and I went for a weekend on a couple’s date, and it was fun. Of course after riding all those rides and walking the park, you will certainly work up an appetite. After our adventurous day, we walked right outside the park to one of the restaurants and had a delicious dinner. Whether you like rides full of speed, twist and turns or you like simpler laid-back rides, Cedar Point has something for all ages and thrill levels.
TIP: Cedar Point is located on Lake Erie and offers a waterpark called Cedar Point Shores. If you are not a thrill seeker and amusements parks are not your thing, there are other activities to do in the area. You could enjoy the waterpark, or you could plan a weekend getaway, rent a hotel, and enjoy the beach. Also, water activities like kayaking are offered around the beach shore.
National Veterans Memorial and Museum
First and foremost, we would like to thank the men and women of the Armed Forces for their services! Did you, someone in your family, or someone you know serve in the Armed Forces? Are you just curious to know what soldiers go through from the time they enlist to the time they get out or retire? If you answered yes to any of these questions, the National Veterans Memorial and Museum is the place for you. Located in Columbus, OH, this museum is sure to give you another level of respect for the men and women that serve(d) our country. It is well put together, organized, and teaches you a lot about what a veteran may experience during his or her time in the military. It is so unique! Tiff Squared enjoyed our time learning about the process a veteran takes from enlisting to retirement or sadly even a lot of times death, listening to stories given by veterans, and learning history through a cool timeline wall. Tiff D. even lifted some tactical gear and my was it heavy. To think some of them must go to war with all of this equipment on is mind blowing. However, they go through rigorous training that “tries” to prepare them for the toughest moments they will experience ever in life. I use the word “tries” because no matter how much training you have, some moments can never be prepared for. It also allows them to form a comradery with their peers that is never lost. The military certainly makes tough people! It was also interesting to learn about the color flags some soldiers wear on their uniforms as to what war they served in. We both learned so much and found ourselves invested to want to keep reading and learning more. This museum is truly a wonderful experience as well as an awesome way to pay homage to the men and women that took an oath to protect and serve the United States of America.
Young’s Jersey Dairy
I get it, school is out, the kiddos are running around the house like crazy, and you just need to find something to wear them out! We have something fun for them and you. Take a visit to Young’s Jersey Dairy located in Yellow Springs, OH. It is also about 10 minutes away from the main strip in Yellow Springs filled with shopping, outdoor activities (bike riding, hiking, and more), and restaurants. Yellow Springs makes for the perfect weekend getaway. I know taking the kids to a dairy may sound strange, but I am here to tell you there is a lot more fun than the name suggest. Young’s Farm first started as a farm that grew grain, raised hogs, milked cows, and eventually sold their milk. Today they grew the farm into what we like to call family friendly fun at Young’s. I took my 5-year-old daughter for a mommy and me day. We both had a lot of fun! The farm offers their Dairy Store, Two Miniature Golf Courses, Batting Cages, Covered and natural grass driving range, Moovers & Shakers (a fun barrel ride around the farm), Cowvin’s Fast Slide, Cowvins Kiddie Corral, Young’s Annual Cheese Anniversary, The Wool Gathering, Pick Your Own Pumpkins & Cowvin’s Corny Maze + Playground, Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival, and Vintage Truck Show. WHEW, that was a mouth full! Haha! My daughter had fun doing the Moovers & Shakers, Cowvin’s Kiddie Corral and the Batting Cage. She enjoyed the kiddie slides and the tricycles that the Kiddie Corral offered. They also have goats that you can feed. Additionally, aside from their milk and cheese, Young’s Dairy is known for their fresh ice cream made on their site. They have a drive-through or a dairy store that you can purchase ice cream. There was a line for the dairy store, but we wanted the experience, so we stood and waited. My daughter loves ice cream, so this was her favorite part. She ordered her favorite, Chocolate Ice Cream. I decided to go out of my norm and try their Banana Split. Both ice cream treats were delicious, refreshing, and the perfect way to beat the summer heat, so grab the family and set out for a fun day trip to Young’s Jersey Dairy.
Loveland Castle Museum
Where are the history lovers at? If this is you, plan a visit to Loveland Castle Museum located in Loveland, OH. The castle is filled with history about Sir Harry and the KOGT (Knights of the Golden Trail). I found it very interesting to learn we had a castle right here in the Cincinnati, OH area. When I hear the word castle, I offer times think of large castles such as Buckingham Palace. I do not think of smaller castles with a great foundation behind them. I was so happy to hear of a castle here in Ohio and it made me rethink of my appreciation of what is in my own back yard. I had to go check it out. At the Loveland Castle there are so many things do to and explore when you visit. You can have a family picnic by the river or enjoy a walk down the pathways of the gardens to see various plants and flowers. During my tour at the castle I learned about Harry, Picnicking, Games and Puzzles, Ghosts, Architecture, Swords and Weapons. There is never a dull moment when you visit the castle, there is something to learn around every corner.
Duke Energy Children’s Museum
Cincinnati is home and you know I could not give a list of last-minute summer bucket list activities and not feature a location right here in the Queen City. What I found unique about the atmosphere and look of the museum, was that is resembles the New York Train Station. With school getting ready to start back, what better way to get the kiddos back into the swing of things than exploring history and science at the Children’s Museum. This is a great way for kids and families to get out and explore together. The vision of the Cincinnati Museum Center is to bring understanding of their past, present, and future by providing world-class learning experiences enjoyable for children and adults, and they do just that! My family and I visited the Children’s Museum and had a blast. You will learn about dinosaurs, the evolution of technology, Cincinnati’s history, and so much more. My children’s favorite parts were the dinosaur exhibit as well as the hands-on activity exhibit. The museum offered different hands-on activities for the kids to learn different objectives. After we played and visited the exhibits, we watched a 45-minute movie in the Robert D. Linder Family OMNIMAX Theater. This was a fun, full screen experience. The theater is in the shape of a dome and the screen takes up the entire front side and moves up. Its pretty neat! If you are feeling inspired to learn more about the world through science and regional history in a fun, educational, and engaging way, the Duke Energy Children’s Museum is the place for you. It will open your eyes to a world of meaningful experiences.
While summer is coming to an end, that does not mean it is over just yet. There is still plenty of time to get out and explore and make those summer bucket list items a reality. Whatever you have been meaning to do this Summer, now is the time! Grab those friends or family members and seize the day! Visit a place you have never been before, try something outside of your comfort zone, or find something that is familiar to your interest. No matter what you decide to do, you will enjoy every minute of soaking up the end-of-summer sun!
Holidays in Cincinnati
Can you all believe that December is already here? We are now wearing our sweaters, drinking hot cocoa, burning our favorite holiday candles, and gearing up for Christmas! My the time has flown by this year, or some may be saying “Heck yeah, goodbye 2020 and HEEELLOOO 2021”. LOL! 2020 has been one heck of a roller coaster but we are not letting that stop our holiday cheer! We are back with our final partnership of the year with Ohio. Find It Here. to bring you some fun activities to do during the holidays with family, friends or your significant other in the comfort of your home or own personal family space. Around the holidays everyone likes to do holiday gift guides. This is similar. Think of this as our quarantine holiday activity guide ;p . What makes this one so fun and special is we decided to end our partnership, guiding you through our very own hometown, the Queen City herself, CCCCINNCINNAATTII! Ohhhh yeahhh, all of the activities we share can be done safely social distancing, so grab your coats, grab a few of your friends and/or family, grab your mask and let’s get active in the Queen City!
Shop Till You Drop – At Home!
While this is the time of year to get out and holiday shop, this year is a little different. Did you know that you and your friends can still make holiday shopping fun, easy and convenient? Yep, you sure can! Online shopping has become the new day and age shopping and is super convenient with what is going on now in the world. Shopping online provides so much ease and less chaos in the comfort of your own home. Tiff Squared loves to shop and is enjoying being able to do so in a safe and comfortable environment. I could online shop for hours! The good thing about online shopping is there is something quick and easy for everyone just a click away. If you know anything about Tiff Squared or watch our stories (if you do not, you should 😊), we love candles! We are always trying to find the best candle companies around, plus there is nothing like the holidays with family and nicely scented candles burning! With my love for candles and online shopping, I had the opportunity to support a local female-black owned candle company called Yellow Dahlia Candle Co. What I love about Yellow Dahlia is that their candles are nice and softly scented but still permeant. I also love her clean and simple white candle packaging. Their candles are also affirmation candles. Their vision is all about embracing your truth and self-healing. If you love candles as much as we do, go check out Yellow Dahlia.
While we do love candles, there are tons of other stores like clothing that provide online shopping. Check out clothing vendors such as Vici Dolls, Nordstrom, Good Night Macaroon, Pink Lily Boutique, and so much more. A lot of online vendors are having sales so check them out as well.
TIP: Another fun way to online shop is to FaceTime a friend or two and online shop while chatting with friends. You can still get your friend’s opinions as well as show them on the spot your fun finds! Why shop online alone when you have friends one facetime call away?! : p
Let the Light Guide You
With the pandemic still on our doorstep, many are feeling the effects of the holiday times being different. However, let the lights guide you! Every year, Ohio. Find. It Here celebrates Holidays in Ohio with a campaign to support the Ohio Holiday Lights Trail. They encourage Ohio’s 88 counties to go all out on Holiday themed decorations. From fancy lights to full on displays, this still allows everyone to celebrate and get into the holiday spirit. This year Ohio. Find It Here. is promoting their Holiday Lights Trail as a drivable tour. While the physical light trails are fun, this year is all about lights in the comfort of your own car. One of the drivable light trails that I attended was Light Up Middletown. This light trail is held at Smith Park. The park was lit up with all the holiday colorful, festive, and fun lights you could imagine. This is the perfect activity for families. I went with my husband and two small daughters. It was the best 2-in-1 combination. You get a good, socially distanced, family experience as well as see all the lights. My 4-year-old loved being able to see the lights and point out the different objects such as Santa, reindeers, whales, candy canes, and more. We also made it even more fun and played Christmas music and recorded little family videos of everyone singing for our great memories. They do have a channel that you can tune into as well for Christmas music. Our favorite part was seeing the light display of Santa’s workshop. It felt like everything we ever read about in Christmas books came to life for 10 seconds in a cool light display. The light display was huge and colorful and looked like a real-life Santa’s Workshop. Light Middletown was a good experience. It was about a 1-2.5-mile-long drive through light display that showcased tons of holiday lights. It is a fun and quick experience. It takes approximately 20 min. from start to finish. We genuinely enjoyed the drivable lights trail and will add this to our family holiday traditions!
Some other local drive-through light displays are as follows: The Guernsey County Courthouse Light Show (Cambridge), A Story Book Christmas (Zanesville), Gallipolis in Lights (Gallipolis), Journey BOREALIS (Hamilton), Holiday Lights at Lost Creek Reserve (Troy), Columbus Commons Holiday Lights presented by the AEP Foundation (Columbus), WonderLight’s Christmas (Hebron), Holiday Lights at Easton (Columbus), Butch Bando’s Fantasy of Lights (Delaware), Christmas by Candlelight (Marion), Upper’s Winter Fantasy of Lights (Upper Sandusky), Blaze of Lights (Bluffton), Sandusky County Fairgrounds Winter Wonderland (Fremont), Winterfest (Cleveland), and Joy Christmas (Columbiana).
Now Let’s Eat Holiday Meals From Home!
Now we are Tiff Squared, the foodies with the mostest. LOL! You know we cannot just give you activities without any food suggestions. While the activities and experiences are fun, you will be sure to work up quite the appetite. If you’re like us, you’ve also enjoyed experiencing restaurant’s special holiday menus and temporary offerings. I also love the decorations that each place uniquely comes out with. This year clearly has changed the dining scene, and many are wishing to eat at home instead. What’s great is, you can still support them and experience their delicious offerings at the comforts of your own home! Almost everyone has either their full menu or something special, but we decided to focus on two specific ones:
Goose and Elder
Goose and Elder’s full menu is incredible, but what you might not know is they also have some of the best fried chicken in the city! They began offering it as a special on Sundays, but thankfully, they have “The Flock” which can be ordered at any time! It includes:
10 pieces of all-natural fried chicken
1-quart mac n cheese
Their “big” salad
2 orders of crème brulee
Outside of it being simply delicious, I love this as a holiday to-go option because my family usually has fried chicken for either Christmas or New Years. The nostalgia warms my heart. If you don’t have enough people in your household to finish it all, split it up and do a safe drop off at other family member’s homes! They will love it! No cooking for you all! Just eating good!
Pastabilities with Crown Republic
If you are busy, but love to cook, Crown Republic’s pasta kits are the perfect option for you. They provide you with all the necessities while taking the hard work out of it. I chose the truffle cream pasta, although they have others to pick from. Included in my bag were:
Their house made pasta
House made sauce
Truffle oil
Parmesan cheese
Instructions
The instructions were so easy to follow. I had a full meal within 20 minutes or less. I added chicken and mushrooms to mine and garnished with their suggestions of red pepper flakes, basil, and parmesan cheese. So easy and so tasty! They serve 4-6 people and are just as tasty as having them in person!
If you’re feeling like dessert and a cocktail to make for the full experience, try one of their weekly holiday drink specials (featured is the cranberry mule) and their holiday wrapped “Mama’s Cookies”, which reminded me of baking cookies at home with my mom!
Be sure to order one of their holiday meals to go as well! Their offerings look scrumptious!
As they say, all good things must come to an end! While we have enjoyed this partnership and guiding you all through some of Ohio’s best cities, it is now time for you to get out and explore all that Ohio has to offer in a safe manner. Online shop, drive through a light trail, and order take-out from local restaurants, but whatever you do stay safe, wear a mask, and have fun!
Vinoklet Winery
Summer is here, and what better way to spend summer afternoons or nights than at a winery drinking local wine?! Wine made right at the winery! Not to mention, June is also Ohio Wine Month. This is certainly a win, win! If you haven’t began celebrating, you can start now! It’s never too early or late for a good glass of wine. Pursuit of Delights has partnered with Ohio Wines for the second year in a row, to visit one of their official wineries. This means that the wine is made in Ohio as well as the grapes are grown in Ohio. This year Tiff Squared decided to visit Vinoklet Winery located in Hamilton County. We welcomed our summer with the perfect pours of crisp white and red wines, made from fresh grapes grown right on their property, on the perfect breezy afternoon. The flowers were blossomed and vibrant in color and the waterfalls were rolling. HEEELLLOOOO SUMMMMEEERRR!!
Vinoklet Winery is the only working winery in Hamilton County Ohio. It is located in Colerain Township in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is home to 12 award-winning wines and is proud to represent the Greater Cincinnati area in local and regional wine competitions. Vinoklet Winery has been established since 1986. It all started when the founder, Kreso Mikulic, planted its first vines. In its 34 years of business, it has expanded to now over 12,000 vines across 30+ acres of rolling hills and ponds. At 86 years old, Mr. Mukulic still gets up and works at the winery every day.
What Tiff Squared found interesting is they plant their own vines, harvest their own grapes by hand in 5-gallon buckets, hall them down to the winery, and produces wine. Ohhh, did we mention the size is quite huge. You enter through the restaurant and the vineyards and winery are out back. It is gorgeous. It also over looks a huge pond. Its location and scenery is perfect for weddings or other celebratory events. They have a nice selection of dry and sweet wines to choose from. If you are unsure of what to get, we recommend starting with a tasting. That is what we did. The tasting we did consisted of 12 different wines, white and red, starting with dry and progressing to sweet. We always have fun at tastings because Tiff D. likes more of a dry wine whereas Tiff B. likes sweeter wines. We always share a good laugh as the tasting starts and finishes. You will receive an entire flight of award-winning wines consisting of 12, 1 -oz cups & a souvenir glass for $12.15 plus tax. Don’t let the 1-oz fool you. Lol! Tiff D.’s favorite was the Tears of Joy, a dry wine made similar to a Chardonnay. Crisp and full of flavor, yet soft to the palate. Tiff B.’s favorite was the Strawberry wine, a sweet wine popping with the taste and aroma of fresh strawberries.
Now we can’t come to a winery and not talk about the food! Let’s take a moment to explore their food options. This winery totally gave me country club vibes with a beautiful view. Their food is American and has a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts. They even offer what they call Grilled to Perfection offered only on Fridays & Saturdays. Grill to Perfection is where guests can come in and select certain menu items and grill their food themselves with a Grill Master; all while enjoying the ambiance of the unique dining room and vineyard while staff caters to their needs. How cool is that?! They also offer different dinner specials on different days of the week. We began with a cheese and charcuterie board. This is always a good choice paired with wine. You can’t go wrong with this. For entrees, we did the Baby Back Ribs (Thursday special) and the Grilled Norwegian Salmon. They were served with Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, and a Dinner Roll. Both meals were really good and cooked perfect.
This was a super cute winery and we were happy to visit! We were pleasantly pleased with their different wines and how beautiful their property is. Although there is only one weekend left in June, we hope that you will visit one of the 300 wineries to celebrate Ohio Wine month. We highly recommend Vinoklet Winery for its charm, great wines, and beautiful views. It could certainly make the perfect date night or night out with the girls. Let the good times roll and give summer the perfect greeting. Cheers to a wonderful summer and Happy Wine Month!
You can find more details of Vinoklet Winery and a full wine list here.
Wellness Your Way Is This Weekend!
Get excited ya’ll! The Wellness Your Way Festival is finally here!!!!
If you’re unfamiliar with this incredible fest, we’d be happy to share more! The Wellness Your Way Festival, presented by Kroger, is a premiere, weekend experience to kick-start your journey to a healthy lifestyle. We can all use a bit of that right?! Taking place at the Duke Energy Center, you will work out with celebrity fitness experts, hear from inspiring speakers, pick up cooking tips from world-renowned chefs, and learn from passionate health professionals about what wellness means for you. Sounds like a great time doesn’t it? Trust us, we’ve been and are super excited to go again!
Girl’s Nights on 21c’s Cocktail Terrace!
IT’S GIRL’S NIGHT!!!
Pursuit of Delights was recently given the opportunity to host 15 of our friends at 21c Hotel’s cocktail terrace in Downtown Cincinnati for a fun girl’s night! If you’re unfamiliar with 21c Museum hotel, they are a Louisville based combination contemporary art museum and boutique hotel chain. Since opening in 2006, they have expanded to 7 additional locations in different states- with more coming soon! They have won many awards as the top hotel in America and also named in the top 10 of the world by some!
There’s a pretty cool museum at each location that is open 24 hours a day and is free of charge. Yes, FREE! It is North America’s only museum dedicated to collecting and exhibiting contemporary art of the 21st century. Each location also has an onsite restaurant reflecting the flavor of its city. Another fun trend you’ll notice is the iconic penguin. Every location has them throughout the establishment, but each in a different color. Lastly, if you’re ready for your body to be transformed, be sure to visit the spa. It will likely be one of the best you’ve ever received. Trust me on this!
Now…more about 21c Cincinnati’s cocktail terrace…
The terrace is open seasonally at 5pm Wednesday-Saturday as long as weather permits. You must enter through Gano Alley and take the elevator to the 11th floor. Once you’re there, behold….a cocktail terrace with an amazing view of downtown Cincinnati! The location is in such a great spot and allows you also to see Mt Adams and other areas of the city off in the distance. There are lounge couches, high top tables, and low tables all available to fit your liking.
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- Gano Alley
As mentioned, Pursuit of Delights had the pleasure of hosting a girl’s night on the terrace and we had a blast!! We were able to try their unique cocktails and try light bites from Metropole, the restaurant located on the main floor.
For cocktails, I’d highly recommend one of their signature slushies, such as the “Kiss From A Frose” or one of their signature cocktails, such as the “My Little Red Bike”. The Little Red Bike is served in a bottle ya’ll so be aware of this if you are self-conscious about how it looks (we personally loved the presentation of it!)
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- My Little Red Bike
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- Signature Slushies and Cocktails
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- Bottles Up!
For light bites, we all shared a few servings of the hummus and pita, meat and cheese, and chips and salsa. It was the perfect amount of food to snack on while having a drink and enjoying the ambiance. My personal favorite was the chips and salsa. I don’t know what they season their chips with, but they were SO GOOD! Next time I go, I will likely try the oatmeal cream pie to pair with my slushie for a bit of childhood nostalgia. :)
For those wondering about the weather, of course we are now in the heat of summer and it is HOT, but don’t let this deter you from visiting. There are plenty of shaded areas to choose from. We went when the temperature was 90 degrees, but were not overwhelmed with heat due to the shade. Once the sun went down, it was even better. Speaking of, when you go, pleaseee try to stay and watch the sun set. The colors in the sky are simply beautiful and will make you have a newfound appreciation of the city.
If you’re looking for a relaxing night filled with great drinks, great views, and an intimate vibe, you should absolutely visit the cocktail terrace. It was the perfect way to end a Saturday night in a space that was not overly crowded, but was still lively. You can also rent this space for 20-75 of your guests for a private event as well!
Thank you 21c for the opportunity to have this event. It was everything we needed to have a spectacular girl’s night!
June Is Ohio Wine Month!!
Did you all know June is Ohio Wine Month?!! Well, ladies and gents, it sure is! If this was news to you too, no worries! You’re just in time to start celebrating for the second half of the month! Pursuit of Delights partnered with Ohio Wines to visit one of their official wineries- which means the wine is made in Ohio and grapes grown in Ohio. It was so hard to choose just one, as there are over 300! In the end, we kept it local and visited the top-rated wine shop in Cincinnati… Henke Winery. How we’d never been there before is still a surprise to us, but we are so glad we finally did!
Henky Winery is an urban winery located in the West Side of Cincinnati. They have been established since 1996. When we entered, it felt as if we walked into one of our family member’s home (who happened to be serving delicious wine ). They’ve grown to become one of the top urban wineries and have won a multitude of medals such as one of their most recent- Top 10 Urban Wineries by Wine Enthusiasts! How impressive! The size is also quite surprising. It is much larger than it appears to be with multiple rooms. Accommodating many guests would be possible even though it may not look it from the outside.
What we love about them is all their wines are made in their own cellar. I assumed they would have a small selection, but there are multiple dry, sweet, and sparkling red and white options to choose from. If you’re unsure of what to get, start with a tasting! You will receive five selected wines for $10 and get to keep the glass! Whoop! My favorite white was the Chardonnay which won a double gold in the Ohio wine competition. For red, my favorite was the Norton, which is made from an American grape. Thomas Jefferson said this was probably one of the best American grapes to make wine from. These grapes are grown in Winchester, which is about 75 miles away. Henke certainly would’ve made Thomas Jefferson proud with their Norton! As if your selection was not hard enough, they also have 3 more coming back soon: The Sparkling Wine, Rose´, and Cranberry Apple (I personally cannot WAIT to try this one!)
I want to also take a moment to talk about the food options offered. Their food is American/eclectic with a variety of appetizers, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts. We began with the cheese and charcuterie board, which you really can’t go wrong with. It’s a great way to snack while continuing with your tasting. For entrees, we ordered the Atlantic Cod Filet (which came with a side and salad) and the Linguini Carbonara. They were both fantastic and cooked perfectly. The carbonara could have easily been two meals for anyone. I would also recommend adding a bread basket considering you may be drinking a decent amount of wine!
This was such a cute winery to visit! I was pleasantly surprised by the amazing wine and rich food. You can see their full wine selection and food menu by visiting their website. In preparation for the weekend, we hope you take the time to visit one of the Ohio wineries in celebration of Ohio Wine month! We highly recommend Henke Winery, as it’s charming, has great wine, and the owner Joe is extremely personable and certainly knows his wine! Their metals decorate every room so as soon as you walk in the door, you’ll know you’re in for a great treat!
If you want to explore additional locations, you can find a full list of the certified Ohio Wineries here. Maybe we’ll even see you at one! :)
Cheers and Happy Wine Month!
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