Prevue November-December 2013 - (Page 66)

Cincinnati Cosmopolitan cool meets historic chic [ON LOCATION] GIANNA WYATT O ver the past ﬁve years Cincinnati has developed into a riverfront hub of breweries, museums, art venues and entertainment. On any given night, groups gather at Falcon Square, the new hot spot for music, food and drinks. The citywide renaissance also encompasses the Over the Rhine district, one of the most intact historic precincts in the country. Today, the community is known for its creative cocktail culture and trendy group venues. We recently traveled to Cincinnati to check out the Western & Southern Open at the Linder Family Tennis Center, Cincinnati's group venues, hotels and entertainment along the Ohio River. 21C CINCINNATI The 156-room 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati consistently lures creative groups to the Queen City. The art gallery boutique is set inside the former Metropole Hotel, which graced the Backstage District more than 100 years ago. 21c opened in November 2012 following a $58 million renovation. The hotel is just across the street from the Aronoff Center and features modern, pop-style art from around the world in all guest rooms and public spaces. The outdoor tapestry of ﬁber optic threads and woven LEDs light up the building. Inside, a solarium of glass and brick lining the building's 7-ﬂoor exterior climbs the historic staircase. 21c features hundreds of art pieces that change over a 6-month rotation, but the building's iconic yellow penguins are a permanent eye-catching ﬁxture. "The hotel provides a creative atmosphere for groups," says General Manager Gerry Link. "Being completely immersed and surrounded by art really inspires those who meet here. The outcome is beyond what the attendees expect because it gets them thinking in a new, creative way." 62 | prevue magazine Topping the list of creative spaces is the 90-seat Cocktail Terrace, the only rooftop lounge in the city. A private elevator spills guests out into the lounge and its plush couches, bar stools and hot tub that overlooks downtown Cincy. The bar seems out of character for the Midwestern neighborhood, as evident in the combat-style boots, trendy black attire and artful eyeliner worn by some of the servers. The lounge includes creative "poptail" cocktails, using fresh ingredients and innovative recipes. We indulge in a Finlandia vodka and homemade ginkgo energy drink with smoked herbs. "The cocktail terrace is a social venue for groups to really interact with one another in a one-of-a-kind setting," says Link. "The rooftop venue puts on a show all by itself." The Metropole restaurant gives a modern take on a traditional cooking technique. Using a wood-burning hearth, Executive Chef Michael Paley chars most items coming out of the kitchen. Whether tender prime meats, cocktail garnishes or bushels of romaine lettuce for the smoky caesar salads, you'll see and taste the wood burns from the ﬂame-ﬁlled hearth. The restaurant includes a private lounge, an expansive bar with views of the open-air kitchen and a 12-person private dining room. Mosaic tile ﬂoors from the Turkish bath found onsite, arched windows, historic moldings and ceiling plasterwork are just some of the original features of the building. For teambuilding, 21c offers private sessions with artists and classes where the group creates a work of art together. "If a group comes in with an open mind and interacts with the art, they will leave with creativity beyond expectations," Link says. "Not only will you discover your own personal creativity, but you'll discover something new about your organization and colleagues."

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Prevue November-December 2013

Planner's Pick: Hartford
Fresh Meets: MGM Resorts
Bureau Buzz: Las Vegas
Good Business: Hyatt, Hilton, Fairmont
Sea Shores: Silversea Cruises
Cool, Cultured & Creative
Imex America
Special Section: Asia Pacific
Ireland
On Location: Hard Rock San Diego
Santa Fe
Cincinnati
On Location: InterContinental Costa Rica
On Location: Marriott Orlando
On Location: Hilton Orlando
South Walton, Florida
Check Out: Moon Palace Cancun

Prevue November-December 2013