Life + Culture

Summer Road Trip

Explore three destinations within four hours of the Cincinnati area. Article and Photography by Wes Mergard It’s road trip season! You don’t have to go far from home for an adventure to remember. Explore these three outdoor destinations, all within four hours of Cincinnati, as mapped out by travel expert Wes Mergard of Travel With Wes. Roll down the windows, turn up the tunes and buckle your seatbelts for summer fun that is well worth the drive. Red River Gorge 2 Hours  Red River Gorge...

Fitness

Running the World

Mason’s marathon man Daniel Rebella pushes limits from local streets to global races. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Matthew J. Capps & Provided If you’ve ever driven down Tylersville Road toward Kings Island, you may have spotted Daniel Rebella—steady stride, focused gaze, completely in his element. A familiar figure on Mason’s sidewalks and streets, Daniel isn’t just out for a jog; he’s quietly logging the miles required for the lifelong passion that’s taken him from local tracks...

Life + Culture

Going After New Goals

Children and adults with disabilities enjoy enriching experiences with soccer through a local nonprofit. Article by Nan Paraskevopoulos | Photography by Randy Corey At a basic level, Cincinnati TOPSoccer is a sports nonprofit dedicated to providing opportunities for children and adults with mental and physical disabilities to play soccer. But the simple act of playing soccer with a team creates an environment in which players’ goals become so much greater than the ones they might score.  ...

Life + Culture

Get in the Spirit

Regional distillers offer unique, high-quality options for spirits connoisseurs. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Kelly Settle–Kelly Ann Photography & Provided Although this region gets a lot of attention for our many breweries, we’re also lucky to have several high-quality local distillers, each with unique methods and flavor profiles. We invite you to pull up a chair and enjoy a virtual tasting as we spotlight three nearby spirits companies. McBrayer Legacy Spirits Following a...

Life + Culture

Philanthropy in Action Through Service Over Self

The Rotary Club of Mason Deerfield awards 15 grants to power local impact. Article by Nan Paraskevopoulos | Photography by Provided The Rotary Club of Mason Deerfield continues to prove that service and generosity are alive and thriving in our community. Celebrating their 30th year in Mason and Deerfield, the club recently awarded 15 grants to local nonprofits and organizations, each aimed at solving critical needs, lifting spirits and sparking growth throughout the region. From youth...

Life + Culture

More Than Just Academics

Women Walking West celebrates their 10th anniversary supporting women with their educational goals and dreams. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Laura Hicks, Rick Crockett, Kenidi Morris & W3 Staff Women Walking West (W3), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, strives to help foreign-born students lead successful lives in the United States. Their extensive mentorship program assists women struggling with linguistic, social, cultural and academic differences in American society. But it’s...

Life + Culture

Leading with Heart

Mason female entrepreneurs make an impact for their clients and the community. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Jenna Beers–Photography by Jenna Passion, perseverance and a deep love for their community—Cathy Richards Harbison and Kerra Spaeth embody what it means to be successful female business leaders. As the dedicated owners of Baysore’s Flower Shop and The Goddard School of Mason, respectively, both women have turned lifelong connections into thriving businesses that serve and...

Arts + Culture

Celebrating 30 Years

Mason Dance Center cultivates the joy of movement and the arts through generations of dancers. Article by Amanda Stout | Photography by Bobbi Wyatt & Rick Barge Photography Bobbi Wyatt or “Ms. Bobbi” as she is known to the Mason Dance Center (MDC) family, signed the papers to open the studio in May of 1995 as a way to bring formal ballet training to the Mason area for her daughters. Back then, she assumed she would run the school until her daughters moved on from dancing. Now, 30 years later...

Home + Design

Windows of Opportunity

WOW Windowboxes provides charming curb appeal to brighten any neighborhood. Article by Bill Furbee | Photography by Corrie Schaffeld/Business Courier & Provided From Music Hall to suburban side streets, countless Greater Cincinnati buildings deliver charming curb appeal, thanks to attractive windowboxes and the flowers and decorative plants contained within. The aptly named WOW Windowboxes company has installed and maintained many of those enhancements. “We service about 1,500 to 2,000...

Finance + Legal Services

Preparing for Your Retirement Goals

Dianna Knudsen of Edward Jones in Mason provides insight into investing for retirement. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Provided Saving for retirement can be stressful, no matter what stage of life you’re in. Dianna Knudsen of Mason’s Edward Jones has spent more than 10 years helping people invest wisely and plan for their retirement goals.  “Part of my relationship process includes creating and monitoring short and long-term goals for my clients,” Dianna explains. “As their lives...