7.17.11 – The Wescott House (Springfield, Ohio)

I took advantage of a recent Groupon offering and went to Frank Lloyd Wright's Wescott House in Springfield, Ohio. I remember being in high school and seeing a photograph of Fallingwater and being mesmerized. As a graduate student in art history I fell more in love with his buildings after visiting Oak Park and Chicago, Illinois during a class field trip. In my early thirties I was able to tour a home he built in Clifton, here in Cincinnati, that was up for auction, and even though I was more gainfully employed at the time, there was no way I could have bought the house. Still, I fantasized quite a lot about living there. Of course the real problem is I have too much stuff and clutter to live in a Frank Lloyd Wright house. I keep trying to de-clutter, but I know in my heart I will never be that free of possessions, but one always needs a goal.

As for the Wescott House, it is certainly worth the trip. I kept being drawn back to the enormous flower pots in the front of the home (that also appear in smaller versions on the side). It had fallen on hard times and had even been used apartments at one time (I missed my chance!), but it has been meticulously brought back to its original state, and is now a museum. They don't allow photography inside, so I can't show you the bookcases I'd give just about anything to have.

The added bonus of going to Springfield is that there is a Krispy Kreme donut shop very near. I think some of my fondness memories of growing up in Florida, and of my father, are going with him to Krispy Kreme on Sundays to get donuts. That probably explains my weight that goes up and down, but Krispy Kreme is also worth the stop every now and then.

7.16.11 – Ault Park (Cincinnati, Ohio)

The heat is becoming more and more oppressive making me want to hibernate in the air conditioning and watch movie after movie. Last weekend wasn't quite as bad as it is now, so we ventured briefly to Ault Park. We tried to stop at the Hyde Park Coffee Emporium first for a treat, but they now close at 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays, so we went on to the park.

I was there years ago for an event, but didn't get a chance to really see it. It is quite lovely and reminds me of the gardens connected to castles in europe I visited -- it's like stepping into another world, or at least until you start hearing a CD of Sinatra singing "My Way." Yes, it is a popular wedding destination, but being a public park, we were still able to skirt around the festivities. We even encountered a therapy bird (the signs say no dogs allowed in the park, but there's no mention of birds), who appeared to also want to take it easy on an early Saturday evening, not wanting to perform his tricks.

6.25.11 – Paddlefest (Cincinnati, Ohio)

The fests just keep coming. Last weekend was Paddlefest. I can't swim and prefer my exercise in climate-controlled places, so it was not really for me, but Kent partook, so I performed good girlfriend duties and got up in time to catch his arrival (thankfully the currents were slow that day).

The sky was beautifully blue and the weather was good, so a good day to be by the water.