I spent a good chunk of last week on the road traveling to and from Denver for work. While in the mile high city I had many long evenings in the office and a couple of late nights catching up with old friends. This all led to a decrease in blog entries, however I’m not going to let that happen again this week. As I attempt to get caught up with emails and such, I’ll leave you with a few highlights from my trip.

May Snow Showers

The first morning I woke up in Denver I was treated to a nice three to four inches of snow! I guess I was due after all my complaining about missing the snow earlier this winter. It really didn’t stick on the roadways and even melted quite a bit on the grass, but it was pretty nonetheless.

Strange Brewing Samples

I met some old friends at the new to me Strange Brewing Company for a taste of what they had on tap. As much as the brewing scene has expanded in Cincinnati, it seems to have really taken off in Denver and elsewhere in Colorado where the craft scene has always had a strong presence. Strange opened in 2010, and even though I was living in Denver at the time, I never found the time to visit. I’m glad I found the time on this trip.

SoundRabbit @ Quixote’s

After visiting Strange for some beers, I headed to Quixote’s to see some other old friends, the guys from SoundRabbit. After seeing roughly 16 of their shows while living in Denver, it was nice to finally catch another show years after my last. They’ve since added a new bass player to the band and just got back from a tour through the middle and eastern states last month. I hear they are planning another tour for later this year, so I’m hoping to see them again soon. It’s always a great time.

I joined a few old friends from my men’s league hockey team at the Firehouse Grill for dinner and drinks after a recent game. You may remember the building as the former home of the Watson Bros. Brewery. The building itself is a massive structure just off Glendale Milford Road. It is pretty hard to miss, especially with the full size fire engine parked out front.

Outside

We originally planned to eat on the spacious outdoor patio, but after finding that the restaurant was pretty quiet (7:30 P.M. on a Sunday) we decided to grab some seats at the bar. Here I was pleasantly surprised by the draft beer selection. Stone Enjoy By IPA and the newly opened MadTree Brewing’s Gnarly Brown were just a couple of the more than two dozen offerings.

Bar

For dinner I ordered the Fire House Wrap with jalapeño cheddar tortilla, Cajun chicken, caramelized onion, chipotle mayonnaise, Monterey Jack, shredded iceberg lettuce, and diced tomato ($8.99). I added sweet potato $1 more. The wrap was packed full of deliciousness and the sweet potato fries were equally as tasty.

Blackfire Wrap

The Firehouse Grill easily exceeded my expectations. I wouldn’t go too far out of my way for the food itself, but combined with their great selection of beers, this is a very solid option for the northeast suburbs.

In honor of Frisch’s Founder’s Day (May 3rd) I was treated to a private tour of their commissary late last week. The tour was led by Karen Maier, Frisch’s vice president of marketing and granddaughter of Frisch’s founder David Frisch. Greg Grisanti, Frisch’s Director of Research & Development was also on hand to prepare new breakfast items and answer any questions our small group had.

My First Beard Net

Before being granted entry into the four main areas of the commissary, we were required to wear hair nets, and in my case my first ever beard net! We first went into the bakery area where pie crusts were being prepared as well as trays of brownies. During Thanksgiving time I’m told that nearly all the bakery time is spent making their famous pumpkin pies.

Pies Ready For Filling

Frisch’s also make their own bread (except for a few special items that come from Klosterman) as well as nearly everything else that you will find on the menu from scratch daily. During our brief tour I witnessed chili being made, onions being sliced for onion rings (this room literally had me in tears within a minute of entering), spices being measured for salad dressings, and never frozen beef being ground and packaged for delivery. All Frisch’s restaurants are located within the tri-state area so that the food can be delivered fresh from one central commissary.

Onion Room Had Me In Tears

Additional pictures of my private commissary tour can be viewed below. Public tours are not offered so you will have to take my word for it when I say that it was quite a sight to see.

May 3 is Founder’s Day at Frisch’s Big Boy and they want to celebrate Dave Frisch’s birthday with you! Visit any Frisch’s Big Boy restaurant on May 3 dressed as Big Boy and you’ll receive a free Big Boy sandwich! Channel your inner Big Boy and create your own costume or “check” out a free printable costume. I also have a $25 gift card to Frisch’s to give away. See the contest below for entry.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A couple of weeks ago I tried a burrito from Currito for the first time. We arrived at the location near the University of Cincinnati campus for a late lunch. The restaurant was mostly empty so service was lightning quick.

Inside

If you’ve been in a Chipotle (or other burrito shop) before, the concept will be very familiar. You can order either a burrito or a bowl starting at one end of the counter and then move along while it is being assembled to customize your meal just the way you like. Where Currito is different is that they specialize in ingredients and flavors other than that traditional Mexican ones, while still offering a “classic” burrito as well.

Combo Meal

For my lunch I decided to try one of the signatures burritos, the Mediterranean. This fills a whole wheat tortilla with house made hummus, tomato salsa, cucumber, feta cheese, brown rice, and balsamic vinaigrette. You then have your option of protein: grilled chicken, grilled steak, organic tofu, carnitas pork, or barbacoa. I went with the chicken and also added on the meal option to include chips and salsa as well as a drink for $2.49 more.

Mediterranean Burrito

The burrito was of normal size compare to other burrito shops. The taste was like something I have never had before though, and I really enjoyed it. The hummus and feta combination worked especially well with the tang from the balsamic vinaigrette. I would definitely order this burrito again, but with so many other signature burritos to choose from I would have a hard time repeating the same order.

Bangkok Burrito

My wife ordered the Bangkok burrito with Thai-style peanut sauce, Asian slaw, cucumbers, and cilantro lime rice in a flour tortilla. Another nice thing about Currito is that you can order a smaller sized burrito, which was right up her alley. I stole a quick bite from this burrito and it was equally as good as the Mediterranean.

When you grow tired of eating the same old burrito, Currito has four Cincinnati area locations to mix up something different to eat. With over 40 ingredients that can be added to your burrito, the options are nearly endless.

A week ago I took Trey to our first Tunes & Blooms of the year. We made it to a couple of the events last year and had a blast doing so. It is a great place to take children and loads of fun for adults too. There are still two more weeks left this year, so be sure to go and check it out. I’m hoping we can make it tonight, but I may be stuck working late. Admission is free after 5 P.M. and some of the animals remain on display for your enjoyment.

Shiny Old Soul

Last week’s entertainment was provided by Shiny and the Spoon along with Shiny Old Soul. I enjoyed both sets of music even though I wasn’t at all familiar with either band.

Blooms

Last year the tulips all bloomed before I had a chance to see them. But this year they were in full force, at least last week they were. I’m hoping that some of them are still hanging on. There are over 100,000 of them planted throughout the zoo and it is really a sight to see!

Heffalumps

We also took a detour over to see the elephants. Just as we approached their enclosure, one of the zookeepers appeared and spread peanuts for the big girls. The giraffes were also visible nearby and the baby born back in October is growing so quickly. Today is world penguin day, and they also happen to be Trey’s favorite animal, so we will have to go see them tonight, provided we are able to attend.

A couple of weeks ago I was treated to dinner at Firehouse Subs by Robin Sorensen, one of the co-founders of the national chain. Robin founded the chain with his brother Chris, both former firefighters, in Jacksonville, Florida back in 1994. Now there are over 600 restaurants in 35 states and Puerto Rico. When I first visited Firehouse Subs in March of 2012, I reported that there were 485 locations in 29 states, so the chain is rapidly growing. At the time there were 5 restaurants in the Cincinnati area, now there are 6 and at least 2 more are set to open soon.

Outside

While enjoying dinner Robin told us (there were a few other bloggers in attendance) all about Firehouse Subs tying all of his stories back to their mission statement “to carry on our commitment and passion for hearty and flavorful food, heartfelt service and public safety.” This included how he and his brother founded the chain, information about their highest quality ingredients, and even more about their Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. It is always refreshing to see a business that cares about and gives back to the local community.

Inside

After hearing about all the wonderful things that their foundation has done, it was a treat to enjoy such delicious food. My favorite of the night was easily the Hook & Ladder, which also happens to be their best seller. It combines smoked turkey breast, Virginia honey ham, melted Monterey Jack, and is served “Fully Involved,” meaning mayo, deli mustard, lettuce, tomato, onion, and a kosher dill pickle on the side.

Hook & Ladder

New York Steamer

Italian

Smokehouse Beef & Cheddar Brisket

I also really enjoyed the Club on a Sub on my previous visit last year. Back then I said that I would love to visit Firehouse Subs more frequently, but wished for a location closer to home. Unfortunately I don’t make it to any of their currently locations frequently enough, but that will change once they open near the University of Cincinnati in the soon to be complete U Square at the Loop.

Robin Sorensen

Thanks to Robin Sorensen you now also have a chance to have dinner on him. Enter the contest below for your chance to win $20 in Firehouse Subs gift cards.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

While out of the office last week I spent lots of extra time with Trey. First up was our first Reds game of this season on Monday night. I sent an email to my father-in-law earlier in the day to see if he wanted to join us. Turns out my timing was perfect as he had just acquired some free tickets through his work!

Seats Behind Home

We were treated to seats in the view level box, nearly directly behind home plate. Plus the weather was perfect! It was warm enough for short sleeves, though we did bring jackets for after sunset.

Trey Enjoying The Game

Trey really enjoyed the game much more than last year. He sat in his seat and watched the first couple of innings while snacking on peanuts. He started to get a little antsy halfway through the game, so grandpa took him down to the Fan Zone playground. On the way back up I bought him a snow cone to share with his uncle Nick.

Snow Cone

As far as the game goes, it was very much a pitchers duel between Bronson Arroyo and Philadelphia’s Cliff Lee. Neither team scored any runs until the Reds got two in the bottom of the seventh. Arroyo gave up two to the Phillies in the top of the eighth, to tie the game again. Fortunately the Reds were able to add two more in the bottom of the eighth before Aroldis Chapman came in to get the save in the ninth.

Reds Win!

After the game we headed over to the Fox Sports Ohio TV booth and made it on the live postgame show. I called my mom and she was able to capture a screen grab of our appearance. It was a great night out with Trey.

On TV

Happy Earth Day everyone! We were fortunate to catch the tail end of the Cincinnati Earth Day celebration at Sawyer Point yesterday. In addition to a ton of eco-friendly booths, there were a few animal centered exhibitors.

Freshly Sheared Alpacas

We barely caught the New Richmond Alpaca Farm setup before their three alpacas were loaded into a truck and taken back to the farm. One of the farmers told me that these animals were just sheared two days ago. The farm turns their unique wool into stuffed animals, clothing, and more.

Trey, Goat Handler

Trey had the most fun playing with the animals of Sunrock Farm. He was able to lead a goat around on a leash, hold a baby chick, and pet a really large rabbit. So much fun for kids of all ages!

I’ve had an exciting couple of days. Our new baby girl, Paige Brianna, was born very early this morning at 12:31 A.M. Baby and mom are both doing exceptionally well.

Things got started yesterday after work. It was Kim’s family’s day with Trey, so after work she went to pick him up. She started having contractions sometime in the evening and her parents decided to drive her back home. Once we reconvened at home, we started timing the contractions better, and finally called the doctor around 9 P.M. She told us to go ahead and come into the hospital. While all of that was happening, Trey fell asleep at our house, so my parents came over to our house to watch him for the night. We arrived at the hospital right at 11.

That is when things really got going quickly. We headed to triage to get some measurements and such, before moving over to a delivery room around midnight. The doctor didn’t arrive until 12:20 or so and Paige was born in the next ten minutes. It was such a different experience form what we went through with Trey, where labor and delivery went on for over a dozen hours.

Paige

Proud Dad

We cannot wait to get back home and reunite with Trey. He came by for two visits today and really loved having his baby sister nearby. I think he is definitely going to be protective of her.

More pictures can be viewed on kimandedjr.com. Additional posting could be light the rest of this week and next.

Now that we have a place to stay the night, I think our trips to Williamstown Lake will be numerous this spring and summer. We kicked it off this past weekend and had a day filled with tree trimming and house cleaning. It wasn’t all work though, as we all found time to enjoy a boat ride on the lake. Then we capped off the night with homemade pizzas and a bonfire. With temperatures in the sixties already, I hope it isn’t long until the water is warm enough for swimming.

Our Captains

BBQ Chicken Pizza