Simon's Cincinnati Interview

LOTS of city talk lately here on the blog, and elsewhere... Steve Carr will probably drive my site traffic up with one of his most recent posts. Also, Simon posted some city-centric stuff on the Bathroom Monkey site, which I will cut and paste and make my own:

Scott... do you like the city of Cincinnati?
Yep. I live there now and will continue to for the foreseeable future. My wife and I both think the city will be a great place to raise our family, for many reasons... some of which will be covered here, some of which I've yet to come up with the words to express.

What are some of your favorite places to eat in the city?
My favorite "evening out on the town" place is Bangkok Bistro on Erie Avenue in Hyde Park. I've only been to Andy's Mediterranean Grill on Nassau in Walnut Hills once, but it was ridiculously good. As for "cheap eats", I'll have to give the nod to Price Hill Chili on Glenway... you have not truly lived until you've eaten a goetta-and-pepper-jack omelette with home fries and toast after midnight.

Do you ever come to the city for dinner?
I eat dinner in the city almost every night, although it is usually here at home. When we dine out on a whim, we typically hit up quick and easy stuff due to the presence of the little man... Burger King, Steak 'n Shake, pizza chains... As for planned date nights with babysitting, see the previous question.

What are your feelings on Newport?
The Levee region is high-quality. Cities need an economic base... meaning rich folks' property tax dollars and high-revenue commercial areas. Hyde Park and Terrace Park and pockets of most city neighborhoods provide an adequate property tax base. Businesses in the Central Business District (downtown) should be providing the commercial tax base. I think it's an absolute embarrassment that the land between GABP and PBS has only a museum. Every day that goes by without a desirable riverfront is a shame. In addition to drawing people to the city for entertainment purposes, the hypothetical Banks would bring much-needed funding to Cincinnati.

What are your thoughts about living in the city?
Robyn and I considered living downtown when we first got married. We decided against the loft apartment, not knowing when we might have a child. I still think that living downtown would be awesome, but the city neighborhoods are great, too. There are mature trees and sidewalks. When we move to Price Hill, we will be within a block of the grocery store and the bakery. And while I know there is more crime in the city than the 'burbs, I feel like the odds of bad things happening are pretty similar in both places as long as you realize that drugs are bad. I have many more thoughts about living in the city, and if you want to know what they are, just browse this site's city posts, as most of my current city thoughts have been posted within the last month.

What are your favorite things about the city?
Overall, my favorite part of living in the city (currently) is having shared space. Instead of getting a big yard for my kid to play in, we walk down the street to a playground that is much more awesomest than I could ever put in my backyard. Plus, my son has a bunch of playmates, and the parents have a group of peers. Living in the city = living life with other people... I grew up in the 'burbs, and now I live in the city, and in my opinion the suburban life is more isolated. Some people want isolation... I do not. (Also, and I know this is random, I like that the firemen don't turn on their sirens in the middle of the night until they get to the busy roads. I appreciate them not waking up my son where there is minimal traffic.)

What are your least favorite things?
As much as I like the fact that the city has more activity than the 'burbs, I must confess that I don't like the really-ridiculously-loud car stereos. I like the rims on the Lincolns, but not the noise. I don't notice the traffic noise much, as I grew up on busy Bridgetown Road, but my wife would certainly choose quiet.

Anything else you want to add?
Yes. I wasn't unhappy living in Miami Heights. I'm sure I could be very happy living in Delhi or Maineville or on a farm somewhere. Having a yard and a feeling of "safety" and schools with better standardized test scores are all desirable things. I want those things, and that is what draws folks to the 'burbs (or keeps them there after they grow up). And on the other hand, I think a big yard is unnecessary when there is common land. I think "safety" is a mirage that we as a society have bought into way too much. And I think education takes place exponentially more at home than it does at any school building.

I feel like there is still so much to say... but I don't know where to take it from here. I'm sure this topic will continue to be a hot one here at Rm113, so stop in every now and then to read about what the city life really is. There will be no intention here to trick you or unfairly manipulate you. There are goods and bads about the city life... and it is my opinion that the goods far outweigh the bads.

Final statement... I don't look down upon anyone who chooses to live in the suburbs. I just want people to take a real look at city life and see that the stereotypes aren't the whole reality.