Taste of Tremont

As I sit here at the Coastal Carolina Regional airport waiting for my flight that was delayed to Atlanta, I have some time to blog away about the last Clevelandy thing I did before vacationing in North Carolina. The Taste of Tremont is a yearly neighborhood celebration of everything Tremont. They close the business strip of Professor Ave and all of the area shops, restaurants, and galleries set up stands on either side of the street. Some are as simple as an outdoor table with employees selling the same thing they sell inside their storefront. Others are elaborate beer gardens with a stage, sound systems, and a band playing. It really is a good ole neighborhood block party... except this one has 4 star food booths and designer boutique stands.

We were lucky enough to have the main beer garden and stage right outside our place. We got to drink our own beer on our own front porch and listen to some great local bands play tunes all day long. We did decide to venture off our porch out into the crowd... although I was kinda content right where I was. It really was an awesome spot!

Gina's cousin Kerry stopped out to enjoy the day with us. After listening to some tunes we all decided to venture out for some grub and to check out the shopping opportunities. Once we turned the corner and started on our way, I could tell that the ridiculous amount of people they had predicted were going to show up wasn't as far fetched as I had previously thought. Seriously, it was packed and I was so happy to see everyone come down to enjoy Cleveland! Tremont does a great job getting people into the neighborhood for some reason or another. Eventually you think (as I did) "There are so many reasons I come here, it would just be easier to live here and cut out the drive time!"

The food booths were hard to choose between. Not only did they all look great but there were some places there that Gina and I hadn't ventured to yet. Lines were long for some like neighborhood favorite Sokolowski's. Most others were at least a few minute wait. I got an italian sausage sandwich but from where I couldn't tell ya. It was good as I equate it to summer in my mind so it was perfect for the day. There were tons of other options such as gyros, burgers, pasta, pizza, and tubular meats a plenty.

In case you're keeping track, I'm now at the Atlanta airport. I got to spend the night at fancy hotel on Delta's $ since they made me miss my flight...

Gina and Kerry did the shopping and general goods browsing. There were the same kinda booths set up as you would see at a Tremont or Cleveland flea type of event. I don't mean to sound put off by it at all but it's the best way to describe it without spoon feeding you the experience. The main goal of all of this is to get you to come out and experience it yourself... or at least get you to go to the websites. I will tell you though that I got a bag of Chai Tea and a fancy drinking bottle from Gina. I love getting gifts!

Two places to note in our travels that day: 

1) Churned Ice Cream - Delicious and off the wall flavors keep us coming back to Churned for ice cream. We took Kerry there for what I suspect was technically dessert #3 of the day. Ya, we know how to party! It does me no good to pick out anything specific because everything we've had there is awesome... ok, Maple Bacon with French Toast. Get it and let it blow your mind.

2) Brewnuts - I'm literally going to start telling you every time I go to Brewnuts until you send me an e-mail that says you went! You don't know what you're missing! No more Giant Eagle dough circles of blah. Every time you get bakery from Giant Eagle you send money to Pittsburgh and it goes right into the pockets of people who love the Steelers... ya never thought of it that way huh? Yingling too! Stop it people! Support a local brewnut where the brew is also local. The one I had was made with Christmas Ale and it was delicious! Ya, Christmas Ale! You know, that thing you fight to get a hold of come December and then try to ration for the rest of the year until you can get your hands on it again.

Kerry enjoying her 1st Brewnut! I wouldn't be surprised if she was addicted after the 1st smell. We were!

I'm thinking it was Christmas in July or something... Get her Santa Shark!!!

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The New Flats

This past Saturday the remains of the old I90 east bridge were blown up in front of a crowd of onlookers at 6 am. This explosion did not mark the beginning but the continuation of progress. The flats has quietly been going through yet another transformation into a place for Clevelanders to enjoy. Unlike it's most recent incarnation as a bar filled "adult playground" and a cut through for the smart commuters to get to downtown, this most recent version it a place for everyone to enjoy. It's following the playbook that other Cleveland and rust belt neighborhoods are following. Due to mixed investments in residential, transportation, and recreation the Flats are slowly turning into a well rounded neighborhood right before our very eyes. A stark difference from the abandoned wasteland that it has been in years past.

Thanks to groups like the Cleveland Metroparks, the Clean Ohio Fund, and the dense neighborhoods that surround it the flats have become a very valuable area once again. The days of stone and sand piles, abandon buildings, parking lots, and burning rivers are slowly ending. Reinvestment in more diverse and well rounded projects have sparked a new day for this once industrial powerhouse. The key to remaking these areas is mixing their usage. Something for everyone. Don't just shove all of the factories in one spot or all of the museums into one area (University Circle). Treat your neighborhood as if it was a city in itself.

OK, if you've ever been on a river that wasn't in the dense wilderness you'll notice that people want to be by the water and they will pay top dollar for that privilege. Whether it be to live or to play, water is a huge draw. Not here in Cleveland though. Historically we like to keep people away from the water by putting up stadiums, airports, highways, and train tracks. Cleveland for some reason is traditionally anti water... until recently. Ya the sins of our fathers have made it hard but this generation is taking advantage of the little slivers of opportunity that we have been left with.

Gina and I went down to look at the newest addition to the flats last week. The new recreational trail follows the river and includes a small dock, some benches, little trees, and cut outs from the river for fish spawning... and geese. Lots of geese. It is really a nice escape from the concrete of the city and a great place to take a walk. The views of the bridges and the towers downtown create a wonderful backdrop. It forces us to remember that we have a river that adds to the beauty of Cleveland. It's always been here but hasn't been the most inviting place. Tourists may see it in passing as they go to games, conventions, or restaurants but the citizens of this city can use it as a place to relax.

We went to a block club meeting this week and one of the presentations was about extending the trail through our neighborhood. It's quite the undertaking as they are going to convert a whole street into the trail and build a bridge. The plans for the extension are beautiful and everyone was excited about it. The Metroparks are leading the project and will maintain it when it's complete. They really have run with the areas that the city gave to them!

Sure most of the flats still look like this but the momentum it has is undeniable. This large swath of land and its river has had its ups and downs but can no longer be ignored. It's potential as an area of growth is great and finally people are starting to see that. The east and west banks are on a comeback. The new trail has added some much needed beauty. The rowers and kayakers have given the area an extra functional dimension. Soon the abandon building will become apartments and businesses filled with people excited to take advantage of all the flats has to offer. Our time is coming... again.

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4th of July Week Part 2

More fireworks! I'll pretty much go anywhere it seems if they promise to show me loud exploding balls of light. That explains why I took a trip down ole memory lane with Gina and my rents to go watch fireworks on beautiful Atwood Lake... in the middle of what felt like Alaska in January! And if Alaska is somehow warm in January... I'm stupid but you get my point. It was freeeeezing! The day started out decently temperaturized which is par for this summer's shitty weather so far. At least it wasn't raining. After Gina got home from work and we went to pick up my rental's new dryer from North Canton, we met at my parent's place, condensed cars, and headed down the twisty road to Atwood.

Here's ole sour patch face and grumpy Bahama cat enjoying the 45 degree temps with the wind out on the lake. I complain but it wasn't that bad after you wrapped up in towels to keep warm. It was also great to spend time with my parents and reminisce about the days of my youth when I ruled over the one person kingdom which was Atwood. Luckily for me Gina didn't mind hearing most of the stories again... or she just didn't pay attention to me when I told them to her the first time. Either way they made the trip around the lake go pretty fast.

The fireworks were not as great as I remember them unfortunately but it didn't make the night any less fun. I guess I've been spoiled by Lakewood's display that will (if you let it) knock your socks off. We got a great spot... if the fireworks were wear they were in 1994. They changed the location on us! We could still see them but we were much less willing to navigate the lake once it got dark in order to get a better view. Boats have like 3 tiny dirty lights on the and are almost impossible to see once the sun goes  down. Remember that young adventurous kids...

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Gina's cousin Kerry's birthday was Saturday! She's the same age as us (you're welcome) and was looking for a fun night out and about in our little slice of Cleve-town. Of course Gina and I used this opportunity to A) do knew things and B) eat new things. So to accomplish both of those and get the most bang for all of our bucks, we made reservations for Lago on the East Bank of the Flats in the new E&Y Tower. Oh and for the gift we finally... FINALLY made it over to Tremont's own Lilly Homemade Chocolates. Foodies, this is going to be right up your alley.

People who don't even know where Tremont is know what Lilly's is and they can hardly get the praise out of their mouths without drifting into a drooling daydream. Needless to say I was ready to be amazed and to gain an uncontrollable 6-8 lbs. The first thing you notice when you walk in is that the place is packed full of craft beer and interesting looking chocolates. They really made it easy to pair the 2 and put together a box of delicious goodies. The staff was super helpful and willing to walk us newb's through the whole process. We got a variety box for Kerry and a chocolate bar for us with 2 bottles of paired beers. Spoiler alert... they were amazing and the beer matched and complimented the flavors perfectly! Lilly's deserves all the hype and more. This is definitely my new gift spot.

The East Bank is currently under construction building phase 2 of their project. We went from the parking lot right to the new E&Y Tower where the hotel and restaurants are located. The outdoor patio is the 1st thing you see and it's quite impressive! There are multiple seating options for groups of all sizes and there's even fireplace seating for these shitty cool Cleveland summer nights. We decided to eat inside but the front of Lago is pretty opened up.

The meals are quite pricey so be prepared but the food is definitely worth it. The portions are large and the seafood centric menu is quite diverse. The steak I got came out on a cutting board and was the size of a 2 year old child! It was delicious and obviously filling. The lobster gnocchis were excellent as well. The dessert was the 4 gold star winner of the night though. The tiramisu is smooth and the perfect combo of sweet and coffee flavors. It was by far the best I've ever had!

The kicker to this area was the clientele. It was a late 20's and early 30's paradise. Most everyone was dressed nicely and very good looking. Guys and girls. It is certainly a place to take a group of friends but if you're looking to head out for a singles night on the town, this is the place to get dinner! Of course I was already with the 2 prettiest girls in the place so all you guys will have to settle for 3rd place.

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The end of our whirlwind 4th of July weekend involved us eating chocolate, drinking beer, and relaxing in front of the TV... but before that we went to the Indian's game with my parents! It was the father's day gift I got my dad last month. That morning they actually made awesome time and didn't get lost once!... So they got here about 2 hours early while Gina and I were trying to get the house in order. We pointed them in the direction of Press to go get some brunch and quickly got ready.

So my dad is certainly not a fan of Cleveland as many who read the paper and don't live here wouldn't be so walking the flats to the Jake was completely out of the question. Now I can understand that a desolate, under developed, and almost forgotten area like the Flats we walk through to get to the Jake would seem like a great place to catch a bullet but during the day it's more of the Scooby Doo ghost town that Mike Polk talks about in the 2nd Cleveland Tourism video on YouTube. Irregardless, we drove... but I made him pay for it.

The day went from overcast and jacket worthy to beautiful and sunny at about the 3rd inning. We had pretty amazing seats courtesy of work and got to enjoy an Indian's win. I never realized how much I like watching a game with my Dad. He and I talk and watch the perfect amount to make a game go fast while still getting to enjoy it. The time flew by and before I knew it or got bored... it was 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th. It's been awhile since I went to a ball game with my either of my parents so it was great to do it again. Hopefully this is the 1st of many more to come. It's actually the first of 3 trips I'm making to the Jake for Indian's games this week. It sorta just worked out that way but I'm a super fan this week! Go Tribe!

On the way back to the car I decided to show off Cleveland a bit and walked my parents and Gina past the new GE Chandelier. I really think everyone should see it once in their life because it is such an awesome sight to behold. That whole Playhouse Square area is really impressive and other than a few street level vacancies, is almost a complete and total urban neighborhood and something that the other up and coming areas downtown should model themselves after. Transportation, residential, business, entertainment, walk-ability, trendy, and touristy all at the same time. Quite an impressive feat!

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4th of July Week Part 1

Huge week this week as far as things to do! 1st we'll start off in beautiful Cleveland, Ohio bouncing from place to place in Tremont with my brother John and his girlfriend Brooke. Next we head out to America's Roller Coast to get on the world's best rides at Cedar Point. Then we'll hit the Star Spangled Spectacular in Public Square to see the Cleveland Orchestra and some fireworks. Lastly to end this stretch (but certainly not this week), we mozzie out to my old stomping ground in Lakewood to have some dinner with our friends and my renters Stacy and Kevin.

John and Brooke came up from North Carolina to visit us in Tremont and have a little fun. Since they're both teachers, the lucky bastards have the whole summer free and we're happy that they do because it means that we can spend some much needed family time with them.  We started off with dinner right down the street at Parallax. It was our first time being there so we didn't know what to expect. First of all, bring your wallet because it's an expensive meal... but if you like sea food, it's worth it. The sushi is great! Our server was very nice and the atmosphere was welcoming and comfortable. If you have a date night coming up, I highly recommend it. Next we headed to Gina's favorite bar in the neighborhood, the Treehouse, for a drink. It's a great bar with a awesome patio and according to John, they have great drink prices too! To end the night we headed to Barrio for some delicious margaritas and to watch the Indians. My favorite times with my brother have to be when we are just sitting around bullshitting and having a few (liberal use of few) drinks. Since we don't see him and Brooke often anymore it gives us an opportunity to catch up and reminisce.  It was a great night but we had to get back and get some sleep in preparation for a long day at Cedar Point.

I haven't been to Cedar Point yet this year because of our Hallo-weekends nightmare where we rode 3 rides and then waited in the parking lot for 4 hours before we were able to get out. It was brutal but we picked a Tuesday this year so we wouldn't have to wait in long lines and could maximize the fun. The weather looked sketchy at the beginning and it did rain for about a half hour... BUT after that it cleared up and was a beautiful 90 degree day. We rode everything we wanted to ride -- even the Top Thrill Dragster!... even though it did break down while we were in line. Shocker, right? It was tons of fun as always and a great way to spend a beautiful day. When we got home we ate some delicious Edison's Pizza and watched Ted. The perfect way to end the perfect day!

On Wednesday John and Brooke headed home and I headed back to work. That night though Gina and I walked over to Public Square with our chairs to witness the Star Spangled Spectacular. The Cleveland Orchestra played a free show for the crowd and boy are they good! Not a surprise though. They are one of the many diamonds of this great city and a source of pride for all of us citizens. It was a flawless performance and very entertaining. Afterwards there was a wonderful fireworks display to celebrate the 4th of July. It was yet another great gift from the city to all of us in attendance. I love when the city comes together to celebrate as one! It shows the world that Cleveland is a great place to live and play. The city cares about us and is always there to reward us with wonderful 1st class entertainment.

We too this little gem on the way home.

Thursday night brought us dinner with our friends Stacy and Kevin at one of my favorite places in Lakewood, the Buckeye Beer Engine. The beer list is like 8 pages long and it's printed in a very small font. The menu is classic old world food mixed with some new takes. I've had some great meals there in the past and it keeps me coming back. We were there for 3 hours talking and having fun. The time seemed to fly by. They are great people and a joy to be around. I couldn't have wished for any better renters and friends. Stacy told us about a great idea for promoting neighborhoods and their small businesses. I won't get into too much detail but it's something that I'm very interested in getting going. Anything to promote our great city and the surrounding communities gets me excited. More to come on that one!

Well we have even more to do this weekend including fireworks, birthdays, and a father's day Indian's game gift but before I go, I want to wish everyone a Happy 4th of July!

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