IF CINCINNATI’S PLAYBOOK IS DRAWN UP WITH PROUD NEIGHBORHOODS, CLASSIC FOOD, HISTORIC CHARM, AND DIE-HARD SPORTS FANS, THEN MARTY & AMANDA BRENNAMAN ARE FIRST IN THE LINE- UP—AN ICONIC DUO AS MUCH A PART OF THE CITY AS THE ROAR FROM GREAT AMERICAN BALL PARK.
MARTY & AMANDA Welcome to tHe club, BRENNAMAN
chili beans. And hot sauce. It’s not Skyline without their hot sauce. Amanda: I get a small three way, sometimes four way with beans. Never onions. Never. And I’ll also get a chilito with just chili and cheese. Marty: I’m also a big Montgomery Inn fan. They have the meatiest ribs of any place I’ve ever eaten. Amanda: They also have the best, best ranch dressing. I take the bread and dip it in that ranch. But, if I’m recommending a place, I’ll always say Jeff Ruby’s, any of his restaurants. Always the best. If someone is experiencing Cincinnati for the first time, what are the hidden gems you’d recommend checking out? Amanda: Cincinnati has a lot of cute, little spots—Lebanon, Loveland, Oakley. Lots of cool cultural experiences, underground tours of Cincinnati, The American Sign Museum. So again, we have everything. We really do. Marty: Well talking about food, I would recommend Price Hill Chili to anybody. It’s an iconic restaurant, the food and people are sensational. I’d also take someone up to Mount Adams. It may be the most unique part of the entire city, the way it’s laid out, the architecture, the church. Amanda: Yes, The Blind Lemon there. That was our first official date in Cincinnati. We had dinner at Mount Adams Bar and Grill and then had drinks at The Blind Lemon. We eventually got married in their beautiful courtyard and got my engagement ring here at Richter & Phillips. You have both been long-time clients at Richter & Phillips. What keeps you coming back? Amanda: Marty would say we first came for my ring, but see I was here before that. I loved walking downtown, I would go to Saks, Tiffany’s and I knew that Richter & Phillips was an advertiser. Marty: Yes, when I first came, it was because Rick was advertising on our baseball games and I felt it was right and proper to do business with a sponsor. First, I was attracted to the store—and that was the old store. And then, I just liked the people. I met Kim and Rick and Rick’s dad, who is iconic as the day is long. Since then, Rick has become a good friend of ours. Amanda: Mary Jo, Christy, all the people we’ve grown to think of as friends. It made it obvious where we were going to go for our jewelry needs. Marty: There are three things here that are plus—The People. A great store to shop in. And, quality merchandise. It’s something special when you can walk into a store and know the people are happy to see you, even when it’s just to have a conversation. It’s a very Cincinnati way of business and, again, comes down to the wonderful people. I’ll never forget in 1977, Sports Illustrated sent a guy out here to write a story about the [Reds] team. He was here for a ten-game homestand. And when the story later came out, about a third of the article was about the baseball team and the rest was all about the city. He said the city of Cincinnati is one of the hidden gems in the United States. And I think it’s as much true today as it was then.
Amanda, you’re not technically from Cincinnati, but it sounds like the city has always been in your orbit. What are your early memories of the city? Amanda: That’s right, but I’m from Reds Country—I grew up in Ashland, Kentucky. It was a treat to come to Cincinnati. I’ve made childhood memories here, played around the fountains at King’s Island as a baby, and came to the zoo—all of it. My first baseball memory is at Riverfront Stadium. They had these expansion joints with spongy material, and my little feet were the perfect size to fit between them. I can remember bouncing on them like trampolines and then looking up at the Carew Tower, thinking, That’s the biggest building I’ve ever seen in my life . So Cincinnati has always had a piece of my heart. Marty, meanwhile, you went straight into the heart of Cincinnati with the Reds. How did you land here? Marty: The fellow who had the job before me left for the San Francisco Giants in 1973. They held an open search, and I was recommended to send in a tape. The process lasted about two months. They said 221 people had applied. The guy who left? Al Michaels. I’d say he’s done okay for himself. You had opportunities to leave for bigger cities or other teams, what kept you in Cincinnati? Marty: If someone told me in ‘74 that I would retire in the same city I was headed to, I would have said, You’re crazy—there’s no way in the world on that . But, whenever I had to make that decision, it came down to how much I love this town. I’ve told people countless times in just the last week that there may be somebody around here who loves this city as much as I do, but there isn’t anybody who loves it more than I do. What makes Cincinnati such a special place to live? Amanda: For me, it’s livability. I’ve lived in D.C. and Chicago, and here you get all the big-city culture, sports, and food without the hassle. No gridlock, no taking half a day off work just to see a doctor. It’s easy here. The people are friendly, and you can hop on a plane anytime and get anywhere in the world. Marty: The people, without a doubt. This town is so genuine; they’re proud of their neighborhoods, and I just connected with the people quickly. As Amanda said, great culture, great sports, great restaurants—Cincinnati offers the whole package as far as I’m concerned. So what does the perfect Brennaman day in Cincinnati look like? Amanda: Golf in the morning at Maketewah. Nap with Millie [our dog] in the afternoon. And then a show at the Aronoff. Marty: [laughs] That’s true. And to make it perfect, it’d have to be Phantom of the Opera or Hamilton . We’ve seen Hamilton four times, Phantom five. The music is just off the charts. And we would probably go out to dinner beforehand.
I always have to ask about Cincinnati food. I think you know the drill... Marty: What I order at Skyline? Five way. Everything. Onions, cheese,
ON MARTY’S WRIST: OMEGA SEAMASTER DIVER 42 MM, GREEN AND MOONSHINE GOLD ON RUBBER STRAP ON AMANDA’S WRIST: BREITLING CHRONOMAT AUTOMATIC 36 VICTORIA BECKHAM
12 | RICHTER & PHILLIPS JEWELERS MAGAZINE
13 | RICHTER & PHILLIPS JEWELERS MAGAZINE
Powered by FlippingBook