Only in Oakley
Sweater: thrifted Lacoste. Chambray shirt: Madewell. Tights: Vera Wang/Kohls. Boots: Gianni Bini/Dillards. Scarf: purchased at a market in Israel. Watch: Timex. Glasses: Brooks Brothers.
For those of you haven’t visited my humble abode, I live in a cozy little studio in Oakley—an up-and-coming community on the east side of Cincinnati. It’s a place where people are always walking their dogs and you don’t worry if you accidentally forget to lock the front door (although my landlord might beg to differ). It also boasts a slew of charming and one-of-a-kind eateries, two of which I patronized this weekend. Our first stop was Essencha, an Asian-themed tea house that also serves healthy and delicious lunches. Now friends, this is not your run-of-the-mill “Lipton-hot-tea-with-honey” that your mum makes you when you’re sick; rather, it’s the real, looseleaf goodness that’s surprisingly hard to come by. I tried the lavender earl gray (absolutely lovely) along with their winter salad of figs, goat cheese and walnuts and thought it the perfect meal for a crisp afternoon.
Just a few blocks up the road is one of the country’s premier ice cream parlors—Aglamesis Brothers. I’ve frequented this place many times (I’ve developed quite the sweet tooth in recent years) and have yet to find anything superior (sorry, Graeter’s). I had a trifecta of butterscotch, cinnamon and banana chip ice creams topped with homemade marshmallow, whipped cream and nuts. It’s safe to say I’ve been in a blissful sugar coma ever since….
XOXO Betsy
