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 ...

Life + Culture

Follow the Jingle of the Bell

Red Kettle season is the most wonderful time of the year to give to The Salvation Army. Article by Mike Burcham | Photography by Provided The act of giving is part of what makes the holiday season so magical. There may not be a better example of giving than the Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign. “I like to say that we were the original crowdfunders,” shares Julie Budden, divisional director of development for Salvation Army’s Southwest Ohio and Northeast Kentucky Division. The Red Kettle...

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...

Life + Culture

Fostering a Sense of Belonging

Mason City Schools CommUNITY Holiday Help provides students with essential items. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by CommUNITY Holiday Help Committee Over the years, several Mason organizations have provided holiday assistance for students and their families. In 2024, many of these groups joined forces to work together under a single mission of supporting people in Mason experiencing food insecurity. Mason City Schools CommUNITY Holiday Help program was designed to provide students...

Life + Culture

Collaborating for the Good of the Community

The United Way of Warren County refocuses its mission under new leadership. Article by Nan Paraskevopoulos | Photography by Provided When Jane Conn took the helm as executive director of the United Way of Warren County in May 2024, she brought a wealth of experience in nonprofit management and a genuine passion for community service. Jane is focused on bolstering the nonprofit organizations the United Way supports, ensuring they have the resources they need to succeed. “Nonprofits are the...

Life + Culture

Where Work Feels Like Living

Revelance’s creative hub blends office, lifestyle and community under one roof. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Mark Lyons–Lyons Photography There are coworking spaces, and then there’s Revelance. Walk through the glass doors of this Mason destination and you immediately know it’s something different. You’ll find offices, conference rooms and the amenities of a modern professional hub, but take a few more steps and the surprises unfold. A golf simulator where a board meeting might...

Food + Beverage

Entertain with Apples

Fill your home with the aromas of fall with quick condiment and drink recipes. Article by Angela Broockerd & Amanda Stout | Photography by Janie Jones Apple Chutney Ingredients 3 tablespoons butter or ghee 2 cups Granny Smith apples, chopped  1/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts, chopped 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar 3 tablespoons brown sugar 3 tablespoons dried cranberries 1 teaspoon orange juice 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon ginger 1 cinnamon stick  Chili flakes, to taste...

Life + Culture

A Quality Culinary Experience

Dorothy Lane Market brings the food, flavor and flair of a European marketplace to Mason. Article by Lisa Fletcher | Photography by Tracy Doyle–Dorothy Lane Market The Mason community buzzed with anticipation as Dorothy Lane Market (DLM) rose brick by brick along Mason-Montgomery Road. The wait ended in mid-August, when neighbors lined the sidewalk, eager to see what the family-run grocer would bring to town. Inside, shoppers discovered much more than a grocery store—it was a culinary...

Life + Culture

A Proud Process

Urban Stead Cheese creates artisan cheeses with a keen focus on community and sustainability. Article by Jonathan Stout | Photography by Gina Weathersby Photography & Jon Medina Scott Robbins and Andrea Siefring-Robbins co-founded Urban Stead Cheese in 2018 following an inspiring wine trip. Although wine was the original focus of the excursion, it was a visit to a cheesemaker that proved to be the most motivational. They were already planning a business together, but now the idea of starting a...