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Home > Blogs > Things to do in Butler County > Archives > 2010 > August
August 2010
Let me reintroudce myself, and this blog
Having just come back from a vacation to Memphis, TN and played catch-up, I thought now seemed like a good time to share some news with you.
Many of you know me as the entertainment reporter for Middletown, Hamilton and all points in between. That’s still true, but I am also now the Arts and Entertainment editor for Cox’s Southwest Group of newspapers. That means that in addition to writing the articles having to do with plays, concerts, art exhibits, festivals, etc., I now also choose which ones to write about and decide where they go in the newspaper.
I’m in charge of the entertainment stories that appear in our Life insert on Friday, and I handle some of the content that appears on other days, such as Roger Miller’s Middletown Past columns, which I am placing online. Same goes for the very well-read Amish cook column. And of course, I cover news about the local arts, such as the ever-popular topic of the Pendleton Art Center coming to Middletown.
This blog won’t be just a repackaging of my stories, but a forum for me to get suggestions from you about local entertainment. Is there really “nothing to do” here, as so many people complain? Not from where I sit. The way I see it, my job is to give the lie to that idea.
And just in case anyone remembers my days as Sir Critic, yes, I still write about movies, but I do that on my own blog, which you can find here. Didn’t think much of Eat Pray Love, but I thought Scott Pilgrim vs. the World should have done much better than it has at the box office.
Have any questions/comments for me about what I do here? You can post a comment below or shoot me an email at erobinette@coxohio.com
As the old song goes, let me entertain you … there, now you’ll have that stuck in your head all day! ;)
TweetWho/what would you like to see at the Bash next year?
By the time you read this, the last Broad Street Bash will be
A) Coming up at 5:30 p.m.
B) Going on right now
C) Rained out
D) Over.
Whatever the weather/time allows, we’d like to hear from you: What acts would you like to see at future Broad Street Bashes? I got a call this morning from someone representing Sonny Moorman, who is a fixture in the area. I’m sure people would approve of that.
Your thoughts?
TweetIf not a Pendleton Arts Center, then what?
My story about the Pendleton Arts Center last week got quite the wash of comments. A lot of people seem to think this isn’t the best idea for Middletown, which is more into blue-collar entertainment like NASCAR, etc. And that IS a valid point.
However, let me play devil’s advocate here. I wouldn’t have expected Over the Rhine to be a big arts neighborhood, but from what I saw when I visited there, they do quite well. Granted, they have eight floors to use, and Middletown wouldn’t have that many, but nevertheless, a good crowd is there in a neighborhood that’s not exactly populated by what you might call the wine and cheese set.
So if a Pendelton Arts Center isn’t the answer, what is? Anybody got any better ideas?
TweetHow hot was the Weekend of Fire?
Having been intrigued by the idea of the Weekend of Fire when I wrote my preview story, I decided to check it out myself.
On the surface, that may sound like a bad idea. Misfortune with hot food runs in my family. Many eons ago, my dad was asking for an apple pie. I think he was less than 10 years old. My grandmother relented and finally started baking.
Now, my grandmother loved cinnamon - she used it liberally in every recipe that called for it. But on this particular occasion, she wasn’t looking when she reached over to the spice rack - and grabbed not the cinnamon, but the cayenne pepper. And she dumps LOADS of cayenne pepper into this pie mix.
So she feeds it to my dad, who in all innocence says “Mommy, it’s hot!”
Grandma: “It can’t possibly be hot. It’s been cooling for an hour.”
Dad: “No, you don’t understand, it’s hot!”
Granddad: “It’s NOT hot! Eat it or you’re in big trouble!”
(Repeat process a few more times until Dad gets sent to his room. Then the grandparents tried a piece.)
Grandparents: “Oh - it IS hot!”
So with that as background, I approached the Weekend of Fire somewhat warily, but on the whole I enjoyed it. I’ve always liked spicy foods pretty well, but I do have my limits. And I went WAY over it at one particular table.,
I come upon the DEFCON booth. You might say with a name like that, I’m asking for it, and you would be right.
It starts inauspiciously enough. I try the mild sauce, thinking even that’s going to burn me, but I’m just fine with it. The guy behind the counter indicates a much tinier bottle and says “The smaller the bottle, the spicier it is.” I detect a mischievous glint in his eye. The bottle says “Competition Wing Sauce.” The sample cup has just a couple of drops.
“How bad can it be?” I muse - then I take a sip.
For maybe about .0001 seconds, I taste wing sauce. Then, an intense wave of heat erupts in my mouth, which EXPLODES like Mount Krakatoa. Then the fumes start to burn my nostrils. And no, I am NOT exaggerating. All I can think of is “H.” Not “HOT.” Just “H.” I think maybe I meant to say HELP! Without question, this is the hottest substance I have ever ingested.
And all this from such a minuscule amount! I shudder to think what an entire chicken wing would be like, but I can say this much - once you get done with that, you’ll do an excellent impression of a chicken, as you will not have any lips left!
So that was my experience - how was yours? If you didn’t go, are you curious to try?
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