Fred and Gari's

If you're walking to the Skyline on 7th and Vine, you'll walk directly past the real taste of Cincinnati -- and no, it's not chili.

Fred and Gari's, located at 629 Vine, is a carryout-only lunch spot that offers a creative take on the soup, salad, sandwich lunch. Nestled between a parking garage a juice shop, Fred and Gari's is easy to overlook, but a quick taste of their zesty (and I mean zesty!) crab salad or their tomato bisque will have you back for more.

For less than $10, you can get a 1/2 sandwich a small soup, which is more than enough food for a midday meal -- especially when you opt for the jalepeno cornbread instead of crackers with your soup. And while I haven't been able to bring myself to abandon the crab salad on wheat and tomato bisque, my lunch buddies have been more adventurous. From what I can tell, each menu option goes beyond what you would expect from a traditional carryout meal, and includes distinct and vivid flavors, spices and colors. It's also clear that most of what's on the menu is made in-house. The breads are thick, soft and nutty, and even better, the meat is quality and isn't filled with water.

Did I mention the cookies? Because they're to-die-for. Big, crumbly cookies in whatever flavor Fred (or is it Gari?) decides to whip up. It's impossible to go wrong with the chocolate chip. The little shop also is known for their pies, which I have not tried, but can imagine impulse buying after a stressful client meeting.

While there is no seating inside Fred and Gari's, the shop is just a few short blocks from Fountain Square. It's worth the trip to chit chat with the proprietors, pick up a fabulous meal, then enjoy the square now that the weather has broken a bit. It's possible you'll bump into me there, since I've definitely found my new favorite lunch spot.

Magical, operatic and fabulous.

The Cincinnati arts scene delivers yet again.

Earlier this year, my office Social Committee put me in charge of our office ArtsWave campaign, an annual fundraising effort to support the arts in Cincinnati. Apparently, most of the major organizations -- as well as generous residents -- in Cincinnati participate to fund the theatre initiatives, symphony, opera, art museums, etc., so they can live to entertain another year. Seeing as how I'm new to the city, and new to the Social Committee, I don't think I was the best fit for the job, but I did my best and we raised a nice sum for the campaign.

As a little bonus, ArtsWave generously donated tickets to a few shows and galleries, which I used as promotional tools for the campaign. I was a little jealous as I raffled off tickets to Mozart's The Magic Flute, because I was desperate to go. One of my fabulous colleagues knew this, and after he won, graciously offered the tickets to me for my hard work on the campaign, and because he knows I love opera. Of course, I accepted!

I decided to take Jess with me so we could have an early celebration of our Cincinnati one-year anniversaries, and the evening couldn't have been any better, mostly because the opera was phenomenal.

This was my second trip to Music Hall, the first being for Idina Menzel, and it is still as breathtaking as I remembered. It's impossible to not feel transported as you take in the ornate crystal chandeliers and incredible, colorful painting on the walls. It's a beautiful place, and clearly loved by the people of Cincinnati -- because this is a city that loves the arts.

There weren't many open seats on this opening night, and I was surprised and glad to see a fair number of families with children attending the event. The Cincinnati Opera had advertised the show with the tagline: "Make it your first opera," and it's safe to say people took it to heart.

The Magic Flute is a fantastical story with looming sets, colorful costumes, funny characters and Lion King-esque props, so it's no surprise that even the kids made it through the three-hour show. The cast even threw in a couple odes to Cincinnati, if you will, in shockingly un-cheesy and funny references to Skyline and goetta.

Although The Magic Flute's run was short, it was a perfect introduction to the Cincinnati Opera. They're already promoting next season's lineup, which includes Porgy & Bess, La Traviata and Gianni Schicchi. I've already started saving my pennies to spring for season tickets, and am even considering joining the Young Professionals group sponsored by the opera (I know, my nerd factor just keeps on growing). Cincinnati's art scene is one to be admired, and I'm excited to see what's coming next.

British invasion of Cincinnati.

Even almost a whole day after Sir Paul McCartney took his last bow at Great American Ball Park, I'm still high from the singing, dancing and adrenaline of seeing a show with more than 40,000 of my neighbors.

First, GABP deserves an great deal of credit for pulling of the largest show the venue has ever hosted. With relatively reasonable lines at the concessions and bathrooms (I say reasonable because I doubt they're any longer at a ball game), and no wait to get in or out of the stadium, on top of stellar sound, video and lighting -- the night was a great success, and I hope it means they'll be bringing more big-name bands to Cincinnati in the future.

But back to the real star of the night.

McCartney is a performer in the truest sense of the word. It's difficult to imagine him looking any more natural than he does when he's strumming his guitar in front of thousands of people -- until he pulls a few fans on stage for quick introductions and hugs all around. Not only were his song choices, which alternated from Beatles to Wings every song or two, spot on, his between-song banter was more intimate than you'd expect from someone who's been doing this for well over 50 years. It was easy to get the sense that McCartney enjoyed milking each moment and each story, since Cincinnati was the last stop on his eight-city -- and possibly final -- tour.

Well, that's what people are calling the On the Run tour anyway -- his last. But watching him crank out song after song for three straight hours, it's clear he's still got "it," and I could imagine him doing 2,000 more shows before he tires out. And if he were to plan it, people would come, because it's obvious by last night's crowd -- which ranged in age from small children to the geriatric crowd -- the the Beatles' music still endures, and that we all have fond memories involving at least one of their albums.

While "Hey Jude" and "Get Back" were high points for me, so were his recollections of Jimi Hendrix playing Sgt. Pepper's at his own concert just days after it was released (then playing Jimi's "Foxy" and selections from Sgt. Pepper's on the guitar he played while recording that album in the 60s); playing the ukulele with George; lamenting not telling John how much he loved him; and writing "Blackbird."

It's cliche, but McCartney is a living legend. A giant left from a time of melodic rock'n'roll that could get anyone to get up and dance. There aren't many of his peers left -- all of his stories were about friends who have passed -- which made seeing him even more incredible.

I wracked my brain last night, trying to remember every concert I've been to and whether I've been to one more profound than McCartney's, and I don't think I have. The best shows are the ones where the performer is as into the concert as the crowd is, when artists play the songs the way we remember then, and when they come back for encore after encore. McCartney did all that, and I doubt what I saw last night will be surpassed any time soon.