Things to Do in Burlington

The Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra showcases music not commonly performed by large symphony orchestras, so each show is an uncommon musical experience. During Spring 2, the delicately constructed harmonies of Arnold Schoenberg and George Gershwin (two works each) float across Corbett Auditorium and into ears to tickle auditory nerves like pixies riding tiny ponies on eardrums. Two of the four pieces were inspired by literature. Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night was inspired by a Richard Dehmel poem about a shocking confession that affects two lovers, while Gershwin's Porgy and Bess Suite is inspired by DuBose Heyward’s racially charged 1925 novel about the inhabitants of the semi-fictional Catfish Row. Schoenberg's Five Pieces for Orchestra, op. 16, is an unsettling work that balances Gershwin's famous Rhapsody in Blue, which is performed by acclaimed solo pianist Michael Chertock.

Totter's Otterville emulates a friendly village filled with vast exhibits dedicated to educational entertainment. Children can frolic within the train room, which hosts two Thomas the Tank Engine tables and a road-map carpet, or waddle to a live-performance area where staff members present daily shows involving puppets, story time, and tales of the tooth fairy's unhealthy obsession with small-size teeth. Do-it-yourself face painting encourages creative portraiture, and a construction zone encourages playing with giant trucks and a remodeled ball pit and climber area soaks up excess energy and teaches valuable lessons to children with loose car keys. Additionally, a café serves pizzas, wraps, salads, and a variety of healthful snacks.

To program director William Brashear and his team of teachers, yoga is a spiritual journey that begins within while a person is creating a bond with humanity. They inspire students of all ability levels to seek this inner peace in their classes, which cover a variety of styles. Options range from Mysore—a meditation-focused discipline—to power yoga—a vigorous Vinyasa-based course—to gentle yoga—a slower-paced rehabilitative class. To zero in on students' specific areas of concern, they lead one-on-one sessions, helping them master their techniques and learn Sanskrit words such as, "asana" which means "pose," or more commonly, "Can you please help me? My leg is stuck behind my head."

In addition to yoga, the school provides healing services, including Ayurvedic Thai yoga massage, in which a trained practitioner gently pulls arms and legs and twists torsos and shoulders in an effort to loosen the muscles and release stress. It also hosts yoga- and meditation-centric events and organizes calming retreats to locales such as Leeland Valley.

In the heart of Cincinnati’s business district, work ends and play begins. Here, at The Yoga Bar, bodies and minds bask in a vibe that’s both festive and calming, like a piñata brimming with ocean waves. Helmed by Rachel Roberts—an instructor who has trained in India, Bali, and Europe—this studio explores international yoga traditions such as Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Yin. Teeming with bends, balances, and other physical challenges, classes fill students with energy rather than draining it away. Healthful beverages such as kombucha and coconut water flow from a mahogany bar, hydrating drinkers as they take on ancient yoga poses and modern, Pilates-inspired movements. On Friday nights, classes blossom into yoga socials where live music, tarot-card readings, and fashion trunk shows punctuate deep-breathing exercises. In addition to shepherding students toward metaphysical wellness during group and private sessions, Rachel leads yoga retreats in exotic settings such as Bali’s beaches and the moon’s bowling alleys. Between classes and retreats, Rachel makes mantra-inspired jewelry and serves as a community ambassador for Lululemon Athletica.

At the Greater Cincinnati Holiday Market, hundreds of boutiques and specialty stores converge in an oasis of holiday shopping. Exhibitors from around the greater Cincinnati area and beyond help attendees cross items off wish lists with a selection that includes gourmet food, home decor, specialty clothing, and more. Attendees may take a break to check out local restaurants or see if the event's Santa Claus is the real Santa by combing his beard for bits of last year's cookies.

Many symphony orchestras take themselves very seriously. And while Kentucky Symphony Orchestra is consummately professional, they also regale audiences with unconventional performances that may involve silent films, comedians, country bands, and Civil War–battle reenactments, a formula that has worked for the past 21 seasons.