Discovering Stuart Fink Through “Circumspect”
Often mistaken for a skatepark on the quiet end of downtown Cincinnati, this curious piece of public art was created by a local who wanted it to be “more of a place than a thing.”
Random Photographs | January - July 2022
Frames made the first seven months of the year that didn’t have a place in a larger story or post.
Random Retail History and the Western Woods Mall
A rabbit hole leads to a story about the death of department stores.
“Keep It in the Mall!” -or- The “Sterilized Abandonment” of Tri-County
A song by Springsteen, a shout-out to “sandwich artists,” and the toddler who rejected a dog, but grew up to become a decorated Hot Topic employee.
The Kakau Canteen
Hidden in suburban Columbus, there was once a basement tiki bar—a homemade experience that rivaled the likes of Disney and Universal.
Of Mermaids And Micheladas
“It certainly wasn’t the worst drink I’d ever had, but I haven’t really wanted to eat Spaghettios since I was a kid, let alone taste them in my beer.”
![[Suburbia Lost] Black Castle](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4d8a25db85a54c4d64fe76/1653689636575-DZZ52I81JCDJ7RJIFIK2/722_7387.JPG)
[Suburbia Lost] Black Castle
Just going to assume that this building was the inspiration for that Rolling Stones song.
Featured in CLOG Issue 18: “FEEDS”
“Some 1200 followers and 1500 or so posts later, I had found the content I was being fed as repetitive, boring, and infuriating as any other platform.”
A Mansard Roof McDonald’s
There was a time when I truly loved McDonald’s. When I craved it with every fiber of my childhood being. Maybe as an adult I’m only looking back through ketchup-colored glasses, but McDonald’s was different once. After a conversation with someone of a similar mind, I once again set out in search of fast food nostalgia.
A Food Tour of Cincinnati’s Northern Suburbs
In an area as innocuous as almost any other in Midwestern suburbia—there’s a great collection of local and unique restaurants.
If you know where to look.
Two Malls and The U̶n̶s̶o̶l̶v̶e̶d̶ SOLVED “Ball Sculpture” Mystery
As I finished a piece for a magazine about two “dead malls” that I’d previously covered in years prior, news broke about both locations. Also: trying to track down a piece of nostalgic art.
The Rejuvenating Representation of Root Beer Stands
Statistically speaking, I’m 288 minutes closer to death for having authored this story.
Pizza Hut Classic: “Wholesome” Nostalgia vs. “Newstalgia”
Can a corporate restaurant chain harness authentic nostalgia while simultaneously preying on our love for the past? The answer can be found within a “Pizza Hut Classic,” but the real question to ask: is such a place truly “wholesome?”
The Garden of Hope
If the second coming of Christ occurred today in the greater-Cincinnati area, what’s the first thing people would even say to Jesus Christ?
“Have you tried the chili?”