Hmmm. Lots of talk right now about a new book due soon. That would be Camargo Hunt, 75 Years of Hounds, Hunting and Horses.

        Camargo is the upscale crowd — lots of Indian Hill — that goes a'fox hunting on winter weekends. Founded by Julius Fleischmann — margarine and yeast — it's one of the country's oldest.

        Time to tell the story, reasoned Camargo members. Attorney Bill Chatfield tackled the job, researching secretaries' minutes and interviewing members, such as John Wulsin, who has been riding for 70 years.

        He also got artist Leslie Shiels to go through the photo archives — “hundreds and hundreds of them,” Chatfield says — and lay out the book.

        So what you have now is text and 200 pictures in a book that amounts to a Cincinnati Who's Who and Social History.

        Names like Lucian Wulsin, a bunch of Harrisons, the Clippingers, LeBlonds and dozens of names with streets named for them. Perfect for people driving on, say Clippinger, and wondering “what did that guy look like?”

        And all that tradition: “It is such a traditional sport,” Chatfield says. “The attire and the equipment haven't changed since the 1700s, right down to the flask (port, sherry or brandy are preferred) in the saddle.”

        The book is due by Labor Day — $80 from Camargo Hunt Inc., P.O. Box 43451, Cincinnati 45243.

        Seen around town: That would be Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala in the recent Star Wars), and grandmother Berniece Stevens, Hyde Parker and widow of Champion Window exec Art Stevens.

        Seems they were hanging around Joseph—Beth, picking up a copy of the June 25 New York, which has Portman on the cover and a story naming her “Our summer fun cover girl.”

        One of the things she says about New York is that people never stop her on the street. “I'm very short, so I guess people just don't see me.”

        Not so in Hyde Park, where the hormonal flush among teen-age boys is more acute: She had a whole gang of admirers following.

        “It got around the square so fast, we couldn't make a move,” Berniece says.

        Portman is living in New York this summer, doing Shakespeare in the Park for Mike Nichols.

        Seen around town, Part II: A 16-foot yellow kayak, floating through Main Street's bar district, guided by Over-the-Rhine Chamber of Commerce director Judith Osborn.

        Turns out there was this golf outing followed by a party at OTR's Jefferson Hall.

        Golf tourney winners (a tie) were the Have a Nice Day team led by attorney Barbara Weithe (a k a the czarina of liquor licenses) and a Cincinnati Police team led by Eric Vogepohl, with three cops who work OTR.

        Door prizes were handed out later, including the kayak. Only rule was you had to take it now.

        Osborn's friend, Jim Peters, won and was delighted to have his van nearby. But no way to lash it to the roof. So Osborn offered space at Chamber headquarters.

        Fine, except it's two blocks away, so Peters and a pal hoisted it atop heads and began walking.

        And yeah, OTR people, including a cop who tried to give them directions to the river, did double takes. You don't see kayaking on Main that often.

        E-mail knipenquirer@yahoo.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/knip

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