Mio Vino Micro Winery in Deer Park is a winery that allows you to add a personal touch.

Mio Vino produces a limited amount of its own wine to be sold on a local scale, so the wine is already a boutique wine with a unique touch. Then, you can also bottle your own.

According to Tim Bryant, owner and winemaker of Mio Vino, Mio Vino imports all of its grapes and processes everything on-site. “We have 25 different types of wine from your traditional reds and whites to our fruit blended wines,” he explains.

Making Mio Vino more unique is their process for teaching patrons to create their own wines. Bryant says, “They come in and do a tasting and decide what type of wine they would like to make. We walk them through step by step on making the wine. After the wine is fermented then we walk them through the process of bottling their wine. This includes all the bottles, corks, foils, and the customer designed their own personal label to go on the bottle.”

Bryant had dreamed for a while of starting his own winery, and it was brought to fruition when founded in 2013. He and his wife had visited multiple wineries, and he loved and was inspired by the atmosphere. He had been making his own wine for some time, and his family and friends all agreed that he should have been doing something along those lines, so when his wife asked him if he could do something different and Bryant responded that he wanted to open a winery, he had her support and encouragement.

Mio Vino prides itself on being “very welcoming place to come and hang out.” In the fall and winter, Mio Vino has live music on the weekends. They serve light appetizers, and customers are allowed to bring their own food in as well.

Mio Vino also hosts a variety of events. Once a month, they host Plant Nite and Paint Nite. On Plant Nite, you can sip wine and create your own succulent terrarium. They also host Open Mic Nights on Tuesdays. Mio Vino has hosted a number of parties and events, ranging from bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and baby showers to company workshops to rehearsal dinners and even four weddings. Mio Vino was also the only wine provider for Cincinnati Pride this year, and hosted a fundraiser for Children’s Hospital on July 22.

Mio Vino is located at 7908 Blue Ash Rd in Deer Park. To learn more, visit http://mio-vino.com, like them on Facebook, or watch the video below.

You don’t have to travel far and wide or even shop at chain stores to get unique, creative items you’ll love. That’s because Made LOCAL Marketplace now brings all sorts of goods made by Ohio vendors under one roof.

Shows typically showcase between 70 and 130 vendors. Upcoming events include one on July 22 at the Franklin County Fair in Hilliard, Ohio, and another August 5-13, where the Made LOCAL Marketplace will take over The Shops at Worthington Mall in Worthington. “Makers will operate pop-up shops in 12 vacant inline spaces for 9 days,” explains Andrea Archibald, the owner and host of the Made LOCAL Marketplace. “There will be 50 additional makers with tables throughout the mall on August 5 for our kick-off celebration.”

The Made LOCAL Marketplace sells everything buyers could want: Apparel, accessories, jewelry, items for dogs, children’s clothes, food products, bath and body products, decor, candles, and more. As the name suggests, all items are made by Ohio-based vendors.

“We pride ourselves on selecting only the most high quality, on-trend items,” Archibald says. “We’re certainly not your grandma’s craft show.”

Archibald explains that sometimes the phrase “craft show” brings negative connotations, but the Made LOCAL Marketplace seeks to counter those stereotypes and change people’s perceptions by selling the best items possible.

In addition to running the Made LOCAL Marketplace, Archibald runs a store called The Direction in Cincinnati at the Kenwood Towne Centre, next to Nordstrom. The Direction sells Cincinnati and Ohio pride apparel as well as city and state pride items from several local vendors. The store also has locations in Cleveland, Mentor, and Pittsburgh. In addition, Archibald owns Simply Vague, a locally-focused retail store with locations in Columbus.

In 2013, about a year after opening her first locally-focused retail store, Archibald decided to create the Made LOCAL Marketplace shows. “I work with so many Ohio makers and heard a lot of feedback about shopping events and set out to create an event with makers in mind,” she explains. The Made LOCAL Marketplace has since become the largest local shopping event in Columbus, drawing in thousands of customers.

Customers can check out what the Made LOCAL Marketplace has to offer on their official Instagram, and under the “Event Vendors” tab on the website. Interested vendors can also find a vendor application on the website.

Fluidity, a Creative Choral Community for a Cause, combines beautiful music with philanthropy by performing at events benefitting various social causes. Fluidity is not just a choral group but “creative doers supporting the needs in our community” by holding event-concerts fundraisers to benefit partner non-profit organizations, says artistic director and founder Rhonda Juliano.

Fluidity is not Juliano’s first foray into using a chorus for social causes; in 2002, she founded Diverse Harmony in Seattle, a choir for LGTBQ youth. Officially founded in October 2016, Fluidity was inspired by Juliano’s love of community and doing good for others. “I like to put tangible meaning behind what we sing,” Juliano explains. “Introducing non-profits that support our community is a win/win as we can help promote, support and introduce these organizations to members of a larger community by involving others in a social event.”

Fluidity starts its process by selecting a nonprofit, picking music that matches the nonprofit’s theme, then build an enlightening and supporting concert event that includes education about the nonprofit’s mission, drinks, and dinner. “What a great way to promote and support one another!” Juliano says. “Joining an event with a themed concert is a unique and meaningful way to pay it forward, while making a real difference.”

Although Fluidity has only been around less than a year, it’s already busy and well-staffed. “We currently have 34 singers, an accompanist, an event director, a social media director and myself,” Juliano says. Fluidity is “fluid in song, community and voice parts,” meaning that Fluidity avoids stereotypes in assigning voice parts. “We have females singing tenor and a female identified individual singing bass.”

Fluidity recently wrapped up an event at the Cincinnati Zoo, benefitting Groundworks Cincinnati-Mill Creek, a nonprofit that works to restore natural waterways and the environment for clean drinking water and wildlife. Their full season is already planned, and upcoming events include one supporting CircleTail, a nonprofit that trains guide dogs at no charge, and Upspring, a nonprofit that supports homeless kids with academic support in tutoring, camps, and more.

Juliano hopes that Fluidity will “grow and become well known in our community as an excellent choral group that does good for our community.  We want to be recognized by name and have people think of us as an awesome organization that loves to pay it forward!” she says, “It’s about the music making and giving back that’s important to us as an organization.”

To learn more, visit http://fluiditycccc.org/.

The TriHealth Cincinnati Baby & Beyond Expo, described by Jaimi Justice of Hart Productions as “the only show that covers every stage,” will once again take place, from July 29 to July 30 at the Sharonville Convention Center. The event will take place on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Baby & Beyond Expo is in its third year and is “is so unique in the region as it brings service providers, experts and resources to new and seasoned parents in the community,” says Vicki Hart, CEO of Hart Productions. “It’s a great outing for families whether you’re expecting your first child or third.”

More than 140 baby and children’s boutiques will be in attendance. Aspects of motherhood covered will include shopping for baby and mother; toys, books, and on-the-go-gear; breastfeeding; seminars and hands-on demos; healthcare professionals; and self-care. There will be plenty of samples, prizes, and giveaways. The TriHealth Workshop Stage will include presentations by TriHealth experts in obstetrics and pediatrics, covering topics such as fertility, newborn basics, pregnancy and post-baby fitness, and more. There will also be interactive seminars such as Babywearing 101 from Blue Cocoon, Picking the Perfect Stroller from buybuyBaby, Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby from Bright Futures Chiropractic, and more.

Product promotions, giveaways, and contests will begin in the week leading up to the expo. Prizes will include a one-year supply of Pampers diapers and wipes, EvenFlo car seats, breast pumps, clothing, and more. Giveaway announcements and updates can be found on the Cincinnati Baby & Beyond Expo’s Facebook and Twitter pages. You can also visit www.cincinnatibabyandbeyondexpo.com for more details. There will also be a VIP hour on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. A special ticket will be required for a limited number of VIP diaper bags stuffed with $200 worth of vendor and sponsor product offers, prizes, and promotions.

There will also be special areas for children of all stages. The Pampers Comfort Corner provides a comfortable place for parents to change diapers in a clean environment. Free samples of Pampers diapers and wipes will be provided, along with a cozy changing table and a friendly atmosphere. The Evenflo Breastfeeding Boutique provides a private area with rocking chairs and breastfeeding covers. Kids can burn off energy at the We Build Fun Zone by jumping, bouncing, and swinging on Recreations Outlet’s backyard playground and trampoline sets.

Adult tickets will be $8, and children under 12 will get in free. Attendees can also save $3 by purchasing tickets at any area Kroger location or save $2 by purchasing tickets online. Parking is free. Learn more at http://cincinnatibabyandbeyondexpo.com. 

Inspired by the lack of any community art based programming in the West End and their own love of art, Tia Brown and her husband Michael, decided to create their own way for residents and visitors to the West End to have access to the arts.

In May 2016, the Browns, both self-taught artists, officially founded West End Art Gallery, “an art gallery and center where the community can experience and explore art. We believe art can glue families and the community together,” explains Tia Brown, the Executive Director of the West End Art Gallery.

West End Art Gallery makes a point to get involved in the community. Every month, West End Art Gallery hosts workshops, with themes such as acrylic painting, painting wearables, knitting and sewing basics, and a West End photo walk. Future workshops will have themes such as jewelry making, origami, graffiti, and illustration.

“We like to attend community events in and around the West End to engage the residents and bring community art activity to events, such as, paint and peels and paint by numbers,” Brown says. “It gives us a chance to connect, get feedback on workshops they would like to attend, and let them know who we are. We have attended a number of events with the Seven Hills Neighborhood House, Carl H. Lindner YMCA, and Mortar Cincinnati.” She adds, “And by keeping the WEAG a family-friendly space, [patrons] can create art of their own while helping to build community.”

West End Art Gallery also stays involved in the community in more behind-the-scenes ways. “We try to stay involved in the West End by attending West End Community Council meetings, West End Business Association meetings, and starting to help to coordinate mural projects in the West End,” Brown says.

As of now, the West End Art Gallery does not have a brick and mortar location, but the Browns are currently applying for grants and asking hometown art lovers and philanthropists for donations toward funding their own space for the West End Art Gallery. “Our sights are set on the old First German Reformed Church on Freeman in the West End,” Brown explains. “We have been working with a DAAP student who is designing the space for us. It has been an exciting process to see the space digitally brought back to life and we look forward to moving forward with the renovations to bring ownership and pride back to this historic building.”