Arts + Culture

Celebrating Life’s Sweetest Moments

The Love Cakes team at Mason's Dorothy Lane Market designs unforgettable confections. Article by Nina Weierman | Photography by Dorothy Lane Market Walk into any Dorothy Lane Market (DLM), and the bakery is bound to be one of your first stops. At the recently opened Mason location, something extra special is tucked just behind the counter. The grocer’s boutique cake division, known as Love Cakes by DLM, operates with designers in full view, allowing guests to watch the decorating, piping, and...

Arts + Culture

Never Stop Being Creative

Local muralist David Uy leads an artistic life that combines creativity, commerce and community. Article by Amanda Stout | Photography by Mark Lyons—Lyons Photography & Provided Muralist David Uy’s signature graffiti-inspired paintings have left their swirling, abstract mark all over southwest Ohio. Locally, his vibrant murals adorn several buildings along the Mason Mile and walls at Liberty Center, brighten the bars at Third Eye Brewing in Sharonville and Hamilton, and enhance many homes and...

Arts + Culture

Curtain Call Magic

A look inside Mason High School’s theater program, where students lead with creativity and teamwork. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Provided The Mason High School (MHS) auditorium doesn’t empty when the final bell rings. Instead, it comes alive with students rehearsing lines, adjusting lights, building sets and solving problems that don’t come with answer keys. This is Mason High School Theater, where students don’t simply perform. They design, construct, collaborate and learn how...

Life + Culture

Use Food to Protect Your Health

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Karolin Saweres offers recipes and tips to help establish consistent, nourishing habits. Article by Amanda Stout | Photography by Kelly Settle–Kelly Ann Photography For Karolin Saweres, MS, RDN, LD, her passion for nutrition began long before it became a profession. Growing up in Egypt, she was immersed in a culture where food represented family, tradition and connection. She watched her parents navigate their own health journeys with strength and resilience...

Wellness

Finding Balance in the New Year

Learn how reflection, self-compassion and therapy can support mental well-being and renewal. Article by Nina Weierman | Photography by Provided A fresh new year offers us the opportunity to reset after the holiday season's rush. While many take this time to slow down and reflect, the pressure to set resolutions or chase a “new me” is everywhere, filling our feeds and conversations with messages about improvement and change. “So many people feel pressured to start a new year doing things...

Life + Culture

Aging in Place with Compassion and Grace

Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio helps older community members stay active and protected. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Provided Aging impacts each of us in different ways. Seventy percent of people will need some sort of long-term care in their lifetimes, but the overwhelming majority would also prefer to remain at home as they age. Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio (COA) is here to bridge that gap and help those who wish to stay active in their homes and communities...

Fitness

Root Causes, Real Results

A personalized wellness approach helps families understand their health journeys. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Mark Lyons–Lyons Photography Many people set out to take better care of themselves in the new year: drink more water, go to bed earlier and dust off that gym membership. What if, instead of muscling through ambitious resolutions, we started by asking one simple question: “What’s really going on inside my body?” That question is the heartbeat of The Wellness Way - Mason...

Life + Culture

Healthy Comfort Food

Keep your family and friends nourished with a crowd-pleasing spread courtesy of The Heirloom Chef. Article by Amanda Stout | Photography by Cathy Lyons–Lyons Photography As chilly weather settles in, we yearn to cozy up with a comforting meal. Comfort food and healthy don’t often go hand-in-hand, but for The Heirloom Chef’s Jackie Djordjevic, the focus is on creating a balance so all foods can fit with mindful swaps in her recipes. “For instance, if I’m making a chicken pot pie, I may use...

Arts + Culture

A Stage Set for Holiday Magic

Celebrate the season with festive local performances throughout December. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Provided Mason Dance Center: The Nutcracker-All Jazzed Up!  Mason Dance Center’s (MDC) The Nutcracker-All Jazzed Up! returns to the Mason High School Theater on Dec. 19 and 20. Now in their 23rd year of performances, MDC has honed their unique retelling of the original story of The Nutcracker while switching music genres and dance styles. Nutcracker-All Jazzed Up ...

Arts + Culture

Candlelight, Carriages and Christmas Joy

Lebanon’s horse-drawn carriage parade offers hometown holiday splendor. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Provided There’s something timeless about the sound of jingling bells on a frosty December afternoon. The rhythmic clop of hooves against brick streets, the laughter of children clutching steaming cups of cocoa and the sight of horses draped in ribbons and holly—it all feels like a Christmas card come to life. For the city of Lebanon, that holiday vision is a reality on December 6...