It was a beautiful evening when members of the Cincinnati Bailliage gathered at the 21c Museum Hotel for our annual fall dinner on September 14, 2014. This new boutique hotel is the second of its kind in the country. The first 21c Museum Hotel opened in 2006 in Louisville and both are dedicated to the concept of combining a contemporary art museum, a boutique hotel and a fabulous restaurant in one space. Their Penguin mascot, a different color for each city, adds a fun dimension to any visit. Our event was the culmination of many months of work by newly appointed Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Barbara Lancor, Vice Echanson Mike Monnin, and Chef Michael Paley of the hotel’s Metropole restaurant.
The pre-dinner reception and our introduction to the 21c concept was held in an upstairs gallery filled with stunning pieces of contemporary art while dinner was served in a separate gallery. The Penguins joined us during dinner to pose with our eager members. Vice Conseiller Gastronomique Barbara Lancor’s first event as culinary leader was a huge success and we are all excited to see what she has in store for us in the future. This restaurant/art museum/hotel is just one example of the vibrant makeover that is occurring in downtown Cincinnati. Our bailliage is very fortunate to be caught up in this revolution of food, wine, and the arts. We have many beautiful and unique new venues to experience and they are right in our own backyard! We are finding there really is “No place like home!” here in Cincinnati.
Graig Smith, Vice Chargé de Presse