Thank you so much for your post!! This and all the responses made my night! I moved back here to Cincinnati (where I grew up) from San Francisco and feel your pain. It is a daily struggle to deal with this. However, I would never have moved here if I hadn't found the nice liberal/progressive area of Ludlow Ave. near Clifton Ave. Sitwells coffee house has all the kinds of (philosophical/political/creative, etc.) conversation you speak of. So does Rohs St. Cafe and probably Highland Cafe. The in food in Cincy generally sucks and is terribly unhealthy, but on Ludlow it is not so bad. Northside has some good restaurants too. I have found some good people too at the Goth club, even though I am not really a Goth. The person who commented on Dayton hit the nail on the head: Dayton is definitely better. And Yellow Springs is wonderful! The one nice thing about Cincinnati that I did not find as prevalent elsewhere: Once you make friends here--which is pretty easy--they will generally be your friend for life! There is a certain loyalty and commitment to other people here that is quite amazing. Being exciting, stimulating, fun, etc. is not a requirement. People in SF are more transient and hoping from one cool event, experience and group of people to another is far more important than meeting up with a new friend at some fixed location, like a person's home, where you might feel trapped and bored, because the new person does not have any deep insight into the nature of reality, art, politics, etc. that might bring you to the next level! The fact that you come from another town is super exciting to the typical Cincinnatian, who knows that Cincinnati is deadly boring. Most have no idea what going to the next level means--as I am sure you are well aware :-). Well, we do have Camp Washington and Skyline at least! Greaters and LaRosas are awful but most people in Cincinnati did not notice the switch to the mass production that makes them no better than any other chain.