Loveland, Ohio – The photo above of the gridlock was taken on Wall Street near Kiwanis Park in the West Loveland Historic District on Friday afternoon. The traffic was equally backed up on West Loveland Avenue on the hill past the Loveland Dairy Whip, as far as the eye could see.
Sidewalk repair on the Col. Thomas Paxton Bridge on West Loveland Avenue continues and is expected to be finished no later than August 30 according to the latest information provided by City Hall.
On Sunday
West Loveland Avenue heading East is reduced to one lane as it approaches Historic Downtown and Karl Brown Way. Two dedicated turn lanes have been eliminated and three lanes East were reduced to one at the intersection.
The traffic flow is further strained by the Loveland Bike Trail crossing where any pedestrian or bicycle can stop the flow of traffic. Add to that, is the traffic stops as vehicles attempt a left turn onto Railroad Avenue.
Loveland, Ohio – The divisions within the City will reach a decades-old high Sunday morning when repairs to level the railroad crossing on West Loveland Avenues begins.
The railroad crossing will be repaired starting at 6:30 AM Sunday, June 11, and reopen sometime on Tuesday, June 13.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc Railroad will replace “significant” portions of rail, rail subgrade, track seals, and pavement.
The railroad underpass on Karl Brown Way at Loveland Canoe and Kayak only accommodates vehicles less than 8′ in height.
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A storm is brewin’
I wanted to sit on those cold, grayish steel tracks and watch the moon disappear when the big mother star rose to take over and warm us. With Loretta allowing me to sit increasingly closer, wrapping my arm tighter around her waist to do so until it did.
Ears peeled for the whistle and bell and returning when the caboose trailed.
Then laying down on the ties using the steel for a pillow so we could count the stars which wouldn’t be enough to equal the ways or whys.
Loveland, Ohio – Minor flooding is occurring in Loveland, Ohio. East Kemper Road and Karl Brown Road are closed to traffic. 3.5 inches of rain fell in Loveland overnight into the late morning. This photo was taken at 269 East Kemper.
Loveland, Ohio – The time has come for Downtown Historic Loveland to welcome a brand new restaurant just in time for Summer. Introducing TAHONA Kitchen + Bar inspired by Mexican Street Style Food and “TAHONA” style Tequila!
TAHONA Kitchen + Bar, which is a part of a local successful chain of restaurants called Looking Glass Hospitality, opened its first location in 2017 in Summit Park in Blue Ash. TAHONA, meaning “the large stone wheel that is used to crush the roasted hearts of agave known as piñas into a fermentable mash,” uses only the freshest produce and slow-roasted meats as well as freshly squeezed juices and homemade ingredients for their cocktails.
Scott Schmidt, Founder of Looking Glass Hospitality, invited Loveland Magazine to take a tour of the newly renovated TAHONA Loveland, located at 117 Karl Brown Way, which is set to open on July 13th. Schmidt indulged us in an exclusive on-camera interview explaining just why TAHONA is the home of the Walking Taco and what the “time-honored TAHONA technique” entails when producing their Patron Roca Silver Tequila for their infamous TAHONA Margarita. From the TAHONA Pineapple Mango Guacamole to the Vegetable Marinated Tofu Corn Taco to the legendary Donut Holes; TAHONA has a little something for everyone! Did I mention they specialize in Tequila inspired cocktails like “The TAHONA” (made with homemade ginger syrup), “The Granada Mojito,” and of course Fruit Margaritas? TAHONA also serves a twist on an Old Fashioned called “Clyborne’s Peach Old-Fashioned,” which is to die for!
After speaking with Schmidt and hearing all about the mouthwatering menu I knew we had to try out TAHONA immediately so myself, David Miller (LM Editor in Chief), and my boyfriend, Adam Ploof, headed down to TAHONA Blue Ash to try out the menu. We were so unbelievably pleased with the atmosphere, the food, and the cocktails that we decided to share our experience with you in addition to my interview with Mr. Schmidt!
Without further ado, I bring to you Cassie The Food Guru’s TAHONA experience including a one-on-one on-camera interview with Founder Scott Schmidt and a food photo album of our dinner at TAHONA Blue Ash!
While you wait for TAHONA Kitchen + Bar Loveland’s Grand Opening you can watch their progress on FaceBook. In the meantime see what’s happening at their location in Summit Park in Blue Ash.
For more of Loveland’s new restaurant openings and food culture stay tuned to Cassie The Food Guru!
Loveland, Ohio – Could Downtown Loveland get any better? One local restaurant has proven that it definitely can and all it took was a little bit of authentic Italian cuisine!
On Friday, February 5th Rodi Italian, located at 115 Karl Brown Way in the Downtown Historic District of Loveland, hosted a “Favorite People” dinner, in which yours truly was invited, where owner and head Chef Rob Peloni, owner Jo Beyersdorfer, and a very upbeat staff served up some outstanding Italian dishes!
A view of Rodi Italian’s beautiful bar area
Peloni and Beyersdorfer thought holding a “soft opening” would give the staff the practice they needed to prepare for the official opening which just recently occurred on Saturday, February 13th.
Peloni decided to call the soft opening a “Favorite People” dinner because he knew these individuals would be understanding if there happened to be a mistake or coaching on the spot!
Rodi Italian held four “Favorite People” dinners, two on February 5th at 5 PM and 7:30 PM and two on February 6th at 5 PM and 7:30 PM. Those invited were able to enjoy a beautifully cooked meal and drink free of charge with up to six guests.
Rodi was sure to abide by COVID-19 regulations during the soft-opening by enforcing masks and built-in plexiglass structures that were strategically placed between each table as well as each separate group of individuals at the bar.
Rodi Italian’s dining area
I attended Rodi Italian’s “Favorite People” dinner on Friday, February 5th at 7:30 PM and decided to bring along my boyfriend, Adam, his Father, Dave, and Step-Mother, Debbie, for what I knew was going to be a fun-filled evening!
When I entered Rodi Italian’s beautifully remodeled restaurant I witnessed the hustle and bustle you would typically see at a restaurant that has the desire to succeed. Owner Jo was there to greet each and every single guest that walked into Rodi with a “smize” (smile with your eyes) as she enthusiastically walked each of us to our table. When we sat down we were thoroughly impressed with the COVID-19 regulations as Rodi had individual plexiglasses hanging from the ceiling dividing each seating area. Not only did this addition make me and my guests feel safe it also made for one special private dining experience!
The Rodi Italian decor was exactly what I imagined it to be; both modern and vintage, with industrial high ceilings, and a specially made liquor/bar glass shelving system that gave off a beautiful purple glow. Those were just a few of the unique Rodi decor finishes that caught my eye! In the heart of Rodi’s state-of-the-art open concept kitchen is a gorgeous ceramic wood fire pizza oven, with “RODI” embedded in the ceramic tiles on the front. Peloni wanted the open kitchen concept with the one-of-a-kind pizza oven at the heart of it all because he thought guests would enjoy watching their delicious homemade Italian dishes and pizzas being prepared by him and his crew!
Of course, the restaurant decor and atmosphere is not the only thing Rodi Italian has to offer; both the service and food are also out of this world!
Rodi Italian’s Wood Fire Pizza Oven
When my guests and I attended the “Favorite People,” we were greeted with the utmost kindness and enthusiasm by our waiter. Not only did he thoroughly explain the menu, which is predominately authentic Italian dishes, he was also able to help us select glasses of wine (Rodi has a great selection of Italian wines) that we ended up loving! I was very impressed that in light of it being a “soft-opening” the staff was more than prepared for both menu and wine questions.
After looking at what was a “soft opening” menu (not the full Rodi menu) my guests and I decided to start our Italian dinner off with the “Brussels,” which included arugula, shaved brussel sprouts, crispy pancetta, shaved ricotta salata, pine nuts, lemon juice, and olive oil, and the “Occhi Blu,” which was prepared using romaine hearts, pancetta, creamy gorgonzola, and balsamic dressing. I am vegan so the kitchen was able to modify the Brussels for me, which I greatly appreciated!
The kitchen quickly prepared our appetizers and wow was the presentation impressive! Check out the photos I took of the Brussels and the Occhi Blu below!
The “Brussels”
After enjoying some wine and appetizers we selected the most important part of our Italian experience; the main course! I went with the “Cacio Pepe,” which included fusilli pasta, pecorino, cracked pepper, and olive oil, as did my boyfriend’s step-mom. My boyfriend ordered the “Emilia-Romagna” pizza, which was made with cream, mozzarella, roasted corn, prosciutto cotto, and sea salt, and his dad selected the “Lasagne,” a traditional lasagne bolognese layered with fontina and prosciutto cotto.
The “Occhi Blu”
My guests and I were more than impressed with the Rodi Italian cuisine! My boyfriend’s step-mom at one point said, “This is the best pasta I have ever had,” and I couldn’t have agreed more. The texture of the pasta, the use of olive oil, and the addition of the cracked pepper just left me begging for more! Like I mentioned previously I am vegan so I did have to get some much-needed commentary on what precisely the Lasagne and pizza tasted like! According to my boyfriend, the pizza expert, the Emilia-Romagna pizza was not only, “perfectly cooked” but also “unique” in that the roasted corn perfectly complimented the prosciutto cotto and mozzarella. Check out the photo I captured below of Rodi Italian’s Emilia-Romagna pizza!
Rodi Italian’s “Emilia-Romagna” Pizza
Although my guests and I had a small amount of leftovers because the dishes were so incredible, I will say the portion sizes for just one dish were more than enough to feed multiple people! My advice is that if you are planning on making a trip to Rodi Italian, which I highly recommend, come with an empty stomach and your English to Italian translation dictionary so you fully understand what meal your selecting. If you forget your dictionary no big deal as the staff is fully equipped to steer you in the right direction!
Rodi Italian officially opened their doors to the general public, Saturday, February 13th. Rodi is closed on Monday’s, open from 4:30 PM to 10 PM Tuesday through Saturday, and open from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM on Sunday’s.
Carry-out will begin on Wednesday, February 17th. For the time being Rodi Italian will only be open for dinner service, but when the weather begins to warm up Rodi plans on opening its doors for both lunch and weekend brunch. To make reservations you can visit Rodiitalian.com or call 513-774-RODI.
Congratulations to Rob and Jo, owners of Rodi Italian, as well as the staff for hosting such a brilliant soft opening! Here at Loveland Magazine, we know that this authentic Italian restaurant will not only succeed but will quickly become one of the go-to restaurants in Downtown, Loveland! We are excited to see what the future holds for this new Loveland gem!
For more of the Loveland Salad With Me, Cassie Mattia stay tuned!
Loveland, Ohio – As the holidays are right around the corner, many are looking for that perfect family gathering spot where they can safely sit down, catch up with loved ones, and enjoy an affordable yet delicious meal. Well, the wait is almost over as Rodi Italian, located in Historic Downtown Loveland at 115 Karl Brown Way, is set to have its soft opening in December.
In August I visited Rodi to get a feel for the beautiful Italian eatery and wow was I impressed! From the traditional Italian family recipes to the plethora of Italian wines, to the rustic decor, I knew that this soon-to-be Loveland hot-spot would take the community by storm! To see my on-camera interview with Roberto Peloni, Rodi Italian’s owner and head chef, click below!
Since my last visit to Rodi Italian, the restaurant has been totally transformed! Loveland Magazine’s Editor in Chief, David Miller, myself, and my nephew, Emmett, visited Rodi last week just to see the transformation, and after seeing all the new additions, we are more than excited to welcome Rodi Italian into the Loveland restaurant culture!
Peloni walked as through his restaurant as he explained what went into all the new restaurant additions and how proud he was of what Rodi was becoming.
Since August, Rodi Italian’s Stefano Ferrara Neapolitan Wood-Burning Pizza Oven has been installed and is up and running. Peloni said that they recently made their first pizza and he couldn’t wait to share them with Loveland! Click the link below to see a video of Rodi Italian’s first pizza being made in their brand new pizza oven!
Each pizza served on Rodi Italian’s menu will be Neapolitan style and cooked from scratch in their 900-degree wood-burning pizza oven. Some of the unique pizza’s that will be served on Rodi Italian’s menu is, Brussels, which will include shaved Brussel sprouts, pancetta, and fontina, finished with ricotta and lemon drizzle, Figs, which will have olive oil, fontina, fresh figs with gorgonzola, and fig puree, and The Fun Guy (FUNGHI), which will include cream, Tallegio, fontina, sausage, a blend of mushrooms, and sea salt. Gluten-Free pizza crust will be available as well.
As we walked through Rodi Italian Peloni showed us another one of their newest additions, The Faema E91Coffee Espresso Machine, which will feature Cafe Filicori Coffee straight from Bologna, Italy! Rodi Italian is the only restaurant other than a few spots in New York, California, and Chicago, that will have this specialty coffee. Peloni shared with us that his restaurant will be serving Brunch on Saturday’s and Sunday’s, he just hasn’t decided on the hours as of now.
As an Italian myself, when I think of a traditional Italian meal I always end up grabbing a beautiful Italian wine that will pair nicely with my meal. Peloni reassured me that finding the perfect wine to match my meal wouldn’t be a problem at Rodi Italian as the restaurant will feature over 70 different labels from Italy and California. As I looked around Rodi Italian I could already see that wine would be a major part of the restaurant as it had gigantic beautifully sculpted wine holders framing one of their doorways and a state of the art mahogany bar located in the heart of the restaurant surrounded with chairs for guests. Rodi Italian’s one-of-a-kind bar was built by The Cincinnati Wood Collaborative, a group that specializes in repurposing wood. The bar will also include 10 beers on tap and 10-15 bottled beer options.
What goes better with a glass of wine than a traditional Italian appetizer or salad? No need to look any further as Rodi Italian will have plenty of legendary family recipes for the community to enjoy! Rodi Italian’s salads and small plates section of the menu will feature items such as The Cesare (an old family recipe), which includes anchovy, garlic, and romaine, the Burrata Tartufato, which is a ball of hand-pulled burrata cheese over arugula, shaved black truffles, and crostini, and the Sacchetti ‘Beggar’s Purse’ (a house specialty), which will feature a pizza dough purse filled with roasted garlic and herbs in olive oil.
Although Rodi Italian’s menu isn’t entirely official yet, Peloni was kind enough to give Loveland Magazine the okay to share a few of the Pasta options, “Chef Rob’s Seasonal Menu,” and the Dinner Plates. A few of the Pasta menu items, which will be made from scratch in the restaurant, that grabbed my attention was the Rodi Pasta, which features Fusilli (GF option available) sauteed with thin onion, pancetta, green peas, and white wine, the Family Recipe Lasagna, a traditional meat sauce lasagna created by Peloni and his family, and the Risotto Al Porcini, which includes Porcini mushrooms, shallots, and green peas.
Peloni told us that he will consistently be featuring a Seasonal Menu crafted by him using ingredients that are in season for that particular time of the year. One of the seasonal meals that caught my attention was the Ravioli Di Zucca, a pumpkin filled ravioli sauteed in brown sugar and sage finished with pieces of toasted hazelnuts. YUM!
Rodi Italian’s Dinner Menu also includes a “Plates” section and of course a few items for the Bambini’s a.k.a The Kids! One particular item on the Plates section that sounded delicious is the Cacciuco, which includes clams, mussels, shrimp, calamari, white fish, and salmon in a tomato and fish stalk broth. This traditional seafood soup originated in Liguria where Peloni’s family is from. Of course, we can’t forget about the Bambini’s menu, which will feature Kids Antipasto, Mini Cheese Pizza, S’ghetti, and the Cheese and Fries Pizza (a kid favorite in Italy), which will literally be an 8-inch pizza, covered in tomato sauce, and mozzarella topped with french fries!
The Faema E91Coffee Espresso Machine, which will feature Cafe Filicori Coffee straight from Bologna, Italy!
Walking through Rodi Italian and seeing what the building was in August compared to what it is now has made us more than excited to introduce this traditional family Italian restaurant to the community! Like I mentioned previously Rodi Italian is set to have a soft opening in December but as for the official date, Peloni said he will announce it via Rodi’s Facebook Page or Website. Rodi Italian’s dinner hours are set to be Tuesday – Friday 11:30 A.M. – 10 P.M. Again Peloni plans on opening up on Saturday’s and Sunday’s for Brunch, but the hours are yet to be set.
Rob Peloni showing me the early draft of the RODI menu
We want to thank Rodi Italian and Rob Peloni for letting Loveland Magazine be a part of the Rodi journey and we cannot wait for opening day! Take a few moments to check out our photo album featuring our walk-through at Rodi Italian last Friday!
Click on an image to see it larger and to click through the photo album.
For more of the Loveland Salad with me, Cassie Mattia, stay tuned!
This is a re-print of the 2 stories Loveland Magazine published 3-years ago on May 28 and 29, 2017
Loveland, Ohio– An 11-alarm fire in Downtown Loveland early Sunday morning did extensive damage to two historic buildings, and minor damage to a third. There were no injuries to occupants, and only one firefighter suffered a minor injury. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion.
West Loveland Avenue, Karl Brown Way, and Railroad Avenue remain closed to traffic. There are nearby businesses that remain closed until electrical service is restored.
The former Julian’s Deli, now owned by Paxton Grill, which recently had sprinklers installed on both floors, has slight structural and water damage.
The fire apparently started in the rear of Tanos Bistro at 1:20 AM. Four businesses lost almost everything. Firefighters remain on the scene, and inspectors are assessing damage and looking for cause.
The buildings are close to the street so roadways may be closed for quite some time as inspectors evaluate possible danger to motorists traveling West Loveland Avenue and Karl Brown Way.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A reader has brought to our attention that residents of five apartments lost “everything” in the fire, including damage to automobiles.
The next day on May 29 Loveland Magazine published this up-date. After this story was published more than 1.3 million people read about the fire in Loveland Magazine.
Up-date on major fire in Historic Downtown Loveland
Loveland, Ohio – Loveland/Symmes Fire Chief Otto Huber told Loveland Magazine Sunday evening that the structural engineer the City brought in to inspect the buildings damaged by an overnight fire in Loveland’s Historic District said that after a preliminary look, the buildings could be restored. He also told Huber that he had seen building with more damage, brought back to life.
Huber also said that they suspect the fire began because of an electrical problem, and there is one spot that will receive more attention in the coming days as they try to determine how the fire started.
An 11-alarm fire in Downtown Loveland early Sunday morning did extensive damage to two historic buildings, and minor damage to three others. There were no injuries to residential occupants, and only one firefighter suffered a minor injury. One firefighter was treated for exhaustion.
Residents of five apartments on the upper floors have lost everything, including damage to automobiles
The building that housed Tano’s Bistro and the Bishop Building sustained substantial fire damage. Three businesses had extensive damage: Tano’s Bistro, Cincy Fashion Wheels, and Gina Dubell-Smith, a Comey & Shepherd Realtor.
The former Julian’s Deli, now owned by Paxton’s Grill only suffered minor fire damage. The fire sprinklers in the building did not activate. Huber said the heat inside the building wasn’t great enough to activate the sprinklers, but the interior of the building has damage from the water used to keep the fire from spreading. Cleanup was already underway on what will be called, Bike Trail Junction. Co-owner, Kevin Egan said their opening was scheduled in the coming weeks, but the opening will have to be rescheduled.
Narrow Path Brewing Company on Karl Brown Way had roof damage that was being repaired Sunday evening. The business remained closed throughout the day. Another building, further north on Karl Brown Way had newly installed plastic siding, buckle from the heat.
Huber also said that if possible, scaffolding will be erected on the west side of the Bishop Building on Monday. He said it will depend on whether they can get someone to do the work on the Memorial Day Holiday. The scaffolding will be erected to shore up the brick exterior, making it safe to be inside the building where crews could better assess the structural damage, and make it possible for rebuilding to begin.
At 8:30 PM Sunday, a fire crew was still at the scene.
In a press release issued this afternoon by Loveland City Manager, Dave Kennedy, he said, “It is the City’s desire to save these historic structures and will work with the building owners to make this happen. This is a tragic event but the City of Loveland is a very strong community and will work together to repair this part of our downtown. The City of Loveland is thankful that the fire caused no injuries or loss of life and salute the efforts of the City’s first responders.”
Loveland, Ohio – On February 26, City Engineer, Cindy Klopfenstein, said that during the first nine months of 2018, the City experienced 33 reported vehicle crashes into the low clearance, train trestle on Karl Brown Way in Historic Downtown Loveland.* To reduce the number of wrecks and traffic congestion they cause, the City hired Choice One Engineering to complete a safety study of the area.
Based on the study, Klopfenstein reported on her evaluation of the findings. This LOVELAND MAGAZINE TV video is Klopfenstein’s report to City Council.
* From the minutes of the Council meeting: “City Engineer, Cindy Klopfenstein, noted that during the first nine months of 2018, the City experienced 33 reported crashes at the train trestle on Karl Brown Way.” We should have paid more attention to what the City Engineer actually said, rather than what the minutes reported she said. Klopfenstein says in the video, that the 33 crashes occurred from 2016 through the first 9 months of 2018, not just the first 9 months of 2018.
Loveland, Ohio – East Kemper Road at the 200 block is closed because of high water from the Little Miami River. Currently Karl Brown Way at the R.R. underpass is open.
The National Weather Service says the current level of the Little Miami at Milford is 15′ with a forecast of 16.8′. The flood stage in Milford is 17′ where minor flooding would be expected.
The Little Miami River from the 200 block of Kemper Road at 10 AM on February 12, 2019.
The traffic flow is further strained by the Loveland Bike Trail crossing where any pedestrian or bicycle can stop the flow of traffic. Add to that, is the traffic stops as vehicles attempt a left turn onto Railroad Avenue.
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