Blue Ash

Quiet and idyllic, Blue Ash is like the modernized version of a perfect 50’s neighborhood – neat, new houses with perfect lawns, bright, shiny office buildings, great expanses of green space and wide-lane roads stretching as far as one can see. One of the best places to raise a family or find a job, Blue Ash is a picturesque town that offers a simple, wholesome lifestyle with contemporary conveniences.

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Second Look

Though Blue Ash only has a population of around 13,000, it is second to Cincinnati as the largest employer in the area - its daytime population jumps to 55,000. This generates a strong economy within the city, helping to support about 2,000 businesses. In fact, the Fortune Small Business magazine named Blue Ash one of the 100 best places in America to live and launch a small business. Home to a number of corporate satellite locations, such as offices for P&G, Time Warner, and Citigroup's IT division, Blue Ash gives a very clear image of being a place to do business.

However, Blue Ash is also an inviting place to live, especially for those with children. Named in both editions of the book 50 Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family, Blue Ash is favored by families for its safe neighborhoods, ample recreational facilities and good schools (Sycamore Community Schools are rated among the best in the state).

Historically, Blue Ash consisted of a rural farm community throughout the 1800s and did not incorporate as a village until 1955. In 1961, Blue Ash became a city. Since then, the community has been carefully planned, designating exactly 35% of land use for business and 35% for residential, leaving the remaining land for public use. This careful design ensures that there are plenty of parks and other recreational facilities for the public to enjoy.

This emphasis on creating a family-friendly environment as well as a bustling business zone contributes to the contrast of quaint residential neighborhoods bordering large office complexes, and beautiful parks interspersed between four-lane roads and shopping centers. Life in Blue Ash is straight-forward, clean cut, orderly and pleasant, ideal for a busy professional who enjoys the peace and solitude of the suburbs with quick access to modern conveniences. Having a car is essential to getting around in Blue Ash, however - though some streets offer nice strolls, everything is spread out within the neighborhood, and bus service is limited. Located about 20 minutes north of Downtown, Blue Ash remains reasonably close to Cincinnati, but far enough to retain a certain degree of insulation.

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• Dining
  

  Dining options in Blue Ash are varied, and tend to be priced moderately to high – a hair above the central areas of Cincinnati. Many restaurants have a specialty, such as Marx Hot Bagels, which serves every type of bagel and spread imaginable. Through the Garden serves vegetables and herbs harvested right from their own garden, and has many vegetarian options. Gazebo Tea Garden offers English High Tea three days of the week, and private tea parties with reservations. For ethnic cuisine, Apsara serves Asian fusion, Cactus Pear does Mexican fusion, Johnny Chan and House of Zheng serve Chinese and El Pueblo is famous for traditional Mexican food. More standard Western fare is also available at Parker’s Blue Ash Grill, InCahoots, Slatt’s Pub, Blue Ash Chili and Decent Deli.
• Nightlife
  

  Much of the nightlife in Blue Ash revolves around bowling. It's such a popular pastime that the area is home to three bowling alleys!
  
  If you are looking for an aperitif, options are somewhat limited but still exist (mostly within restaurants). Sports enthusiasts and computer trivia fans head to Buffalo Wild Wings, those looking for an upscale saloon-style atmosphere go to Parker’s Blue Ash Grill, margarita lovers prefer Cactus Pear, there are a number of beers on draft at Apsara, and those in the mood for a standard bar atmosphere can check out Slatt’s Pub or Logo’s Sports Bar and Grill.
• Arts & Entertainment
  

  Blue Ash has a number of arts offerings, most notably free concerts in the town square during the warmer months.
  
  Many of these concerts are by the Blue Ash/Montgomery Orchestra, a professional orchestra funded by the two communities. Led by Michael Chertok, keyboardist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra is made up of professional musicians. All of the orchestra's concerts are free.
  
  In Blue Ash, family-friendly entertainment is the standard, and most fine arts performances are designed with that in mind.
• Recreation
  

  Public recreational facilities are where Blue Ash really shines. The Blue Ash Recreation Center contains an outdoor Olympic-size swimming pool (the second largest in the area after Coney Island), water slides, eight outdoor tennis courts, two gymnasiums, two racquetball courts, a fitness center, a babysitting room, and more – with family memberships as low as $40. The Blue Ash Sports Center, at 37 acres, contains 11 baseball and two soccer fields, including Crosley Field and Riverfront restoration projects. The Blue Ash Golf Course was named by Golf Digest as one of the top 75 municipal golf courses in the United States, and features an 18-hole, 6,800 yard par 72 championship layout. Blue Ash also contains over 150 acres of parks and grounds – one of the most popular is the Nature Park, a nature preserve which also has a nice Amphitheatre, for outdoor concerts. Another great place for a walk is right in the Towne Square, where festivals and free musical performances are frequently held.
• Special Interest
  

  Most hobbies in Blue Ash tend to fall under sports and recreational activities, but for those who enjoy a little electronic competition, the interactive computer games at Roxx Coffeehouse are a favorite for teenagers and the young at heart. For those wanting to fly, lessons are available at the Blue Ash Airport.
• Shopping
  

  Shopping is fairly mainstream in Blue Ash, with its chain shopping strips and proximity to both Tri-County Mall and Kenwood Towne Center. However, if you are searching for a unique or specialized item, there are upscale consignment shops like Snooty Fox, and higher-end furnishing stores such as Montags Home Furnishing Mall, Hoffman and Albers Interiors and Rug Gallery. Also of note are a couple of specialty shops: The Book Rack, which sells new and used paperbacks, Cappel’s, which is famous for costumes and party novelty items, and Nina Paul Jewelry, which carries a wide variety of one-of-a-kind baubles by leading jewelry designers.
• Personal Care
  

  Whatever your grooming needs may be, there are a number of spas and salons in Blue Ash ready to accommodate. For those interested in holistic health measures, Mantra Wellness Center is also worth a visit – they offer various forms of massage and non-conventional therapies such as acupuncture and reiki.

Dining options in Blue Ash are varied, and tend to be priced moderately to high – a hair above the central areas of Cincinnati. Many restaurants have a specialty, such as Marx Hot Bagels, which serves every type of bagel and spread imaginable. Through the Garden serves vegetables and herbs harvested right from their own garden, and has many vegetarian options. Gazebo Tea Garden offers English High Tea three days of the week, and private tea parties with reservations. For ethnic cuisine, Apsara serves Asian fusion, Cactus Pear does Mexican fusion, Johnny Chan and House of Zheng serve Chinese and El Pueblo is famous for traditional Mexican food. More standard Western fare is also available at Parker’s Blue Ash Grill, InCahoots, Slatt’s Pub, Blue Ash Chili and Decent Deli.

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Official Home Page of Blue Ash:
www.blueash.com

The city is equal parts industry, residential and public space, a balance many find attractive. On sunny summer evenings, you can find a crowd of Blue Ash residents listening to free concerts at the Blue Ash Towne Square.

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