I recently came up with the idea to write a love letter to the city I love so much. I must admit that I am a bit hesitant to write this, because I know I will never do The Queen City the justice it deserves. But its knack for cultivating creativity plays the most welcoming host, so here goes nothing. (I encourage you to read the corresponding links for more details.)
Dearest Cincinnati,
I love your hills, your landscapes, your overall cityscape; your livability, your parks and green spaces. You’re more than just a pretty face; your smarts, congeniality, character, and history can strike any conversation, even if it’s a measly old “Where’d you go to high school?”
I love you for your ability to evolve with the times, but also for your innate ties to the past — your German heritage and stunning architecture; your delicious and varied food options and, of course, your great beer (and extensive beer history).
I love you for your innovative spirit, job prospects, and cost of living.
I love you for your diversity — religious, socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic. I know there’s been tension here, but these are a big part of what make you so beautiful and it’s worth noting the great job you’re doing of embracing inclusivity and celebrating what makes each of us unique.
I love how much you love and cultivate the arts. You are one of a small number of cities in this country that features all five of the arts — ballet, art museums, the symphony, musical theatre, and stage theatre — which teach us how to express ourselves, attract tourism, and benefit the economy. The arts matter.
Yes, I also love your sports. (But mostly FC Cincinnati, which, more than anything, is a community built around your history.)
Even in the darkest times, you show your resilience and your ambition to be better, more inclusive, and more welcoming. I look forward to the progress we continue to make as we grow older and wiser together.
You catch a lot of flak for your traditional values, but many of those deep-rooted traditions are part of your charm.
You’re great to visit, but your captivating energy has the uncanny ability to keep so many of us around — or at the very least keep us coming back. Your hypnotizing beauty and reasonable cost of living capture the hearts of even big city transplants.
May you never lose sight of your illustrious history as you pave the way to the future of our beautiful city and its communities.
Yours Always,
Linsey
Thanks for reading along and your continued support to this site. To show your love for Cincinnati today and always, check out this Queen City Love print by one of my favorite artists, James Billiter, available at a number of local retailers.
Featured image: Cincinnati skyline taken from Smale Riverfront Park, November 2015.