Family time & Saturday Sports Spectaculehhh...

Family Time

Thursday's in college were the official start to the drinking weekend. If you were smart, you didn't schedule Friday classes so you had a whole free day to re-coop before you got to start again on Friday night. You also didn't schedule classes after 4 pm on Thursday so you could be there for the 1st pop of a watered down can of light beer... unless you were me and had public speaking class until 7 pm. Then you got yelled at for saying "Um" and "Uhh" for 2 and a half hours and wet yourself at the very thought of speaking in front of any number of people including fractions of people. That 1 day a week painful reminder of my crippling shyness always properly prepared me for 10-12 cans of liquid courage which, unfortunately, would only bring me just enough confidence to allow me to mumble a weird misplaced pickup line to a group of sad chubby women. I guess it was my duty to give the herd something to say "no" to before I went to bed. Yes ladies... I was a catch. Yuck! Anyways, this past Thursday night conjured up the ghosts of college days of old... except Gina and I don't have that "Friday off" luxury. 

We invited my Aunt Fran and my Uncle Stan out to our beautiful neighborhood of Tremont for dinner and some bar hopping. Unfortunately in my myopic quest to "do Cleveland right" I have kinda lacked in the getting everyone together from any of our friend/family circles to come to our fair city for fun and general merriment. This is where Gina shines brightest. She picks up where I falter and gets people over to our place, plans nights out, and keeps this blog filled with fun group activities. I mainly focus of the big ticket events but only because I have a bucket list to stick to and a shit summer that has produced less 90 degree days than Brown's wins.

All that aside, we went from drinks and appetizers on Press's front patio to drinks at Treehouse's back patio to discovering that Edison's has a kick ass back patio in which to drink and have Pizza! The drink of the night was a mix of Redd's Apple Ale and Fireball Whiskey called Angry Balls at Treehouse. A close and less embarrassing to drink 2nd place is my favorite Fall beer, Southern Tier Pumpking! Food of the night was, as always, Edison's pizza. Just to show how much I love this pizza, I practically burned the upper part of my mouth off on the oven trying to get it in me as fast as I could. Seriously though, the roof of my mouth was destroyed... but it was well worth it for the greasy deliciousness.

You can't beat good family time especially when they want to get out and enjoy what you like to get out and enjoy! They live in Berea so they're more than familiar with the area and are close enough to know that there should be no trepidation when you come to any central Cleveland neighborhood, especially in Tremont. All we had to focus on was great conversation and what to drink next. By the time the fun was over it was already surprisingly past midnight and we all know that any good night out is measured by the old "Time Flies" adage. Thanks for coming over and hanging with us Stan and Fran! You are welcome any time.

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Cleveland Saturday Sports Spectaculehhh...

Billions of people were set to come downtown to be a part of a unprecedented sports night in the Land of the CLE. We have in no particular order:

1. An Indians home game -- Our winning record against one of the worst teams in baseball
2. A Browns home preseason game -- Johnny Football's 1st game at the Factory of Sadness
3. The Gladiators in the ArenaBowl at the Q -- A Cleveland Sports Championship?!
4. Kevin Love signing with the Cavs -- A reason to drink and celebrate!

Having been disappointed by the teams in 1, 2, and 4 in the past, I decided to go with #3 in a big way! I was 2-0 at Gladiators games this year so either Gina or I was a good luck charm right?! Right?! With that glimmer of hope in mind I decided to go all out and get a hold of tickets for the Key Bank (who in no way is affiliated with or endorses any ideas expressed in this blog) suite. Sure they were 5X the amount I usually pay but damnitt I was going to see a Cleveland sports championship! 6 generations of Clevelanders can't say that and they sure as hell weren't in a suite if they could, so suck it! 

OK, I can't say that I was as excited as I sound in this blog but I had hope... and hope it a terrible thing to have in Cleveland sports. Here's a summary of the nights events:

This was our awesome view...

We both got sick on what we think were the medium wings we had.

We still are awaiting that sports championship...

I broke even at the casino thanks to a 40 min free spin bonus on some game with apes in it.

The city ended up going 2 for 4 on the big sports day (I count Kevin Love as a victory). I do love the Gladiators and I'm proud of their season even if we didn't win the ArenaBowl. They gained a whole lot of fans this season (myself included) and I can't wait for next season to come. They give give us hope that one day, Cleveland can have a Football Championship... and they're the only hope we got because this year's Browns team stinks on ice. Wake me up when the season's over.

Love you Cleveland. Goodnight!

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Leave me comments on what Sport
you watched on Saturday

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ALS Ice Bucket Challenge... as Batman!

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Eli Kazimir, Jeremy Fulks, and Andy Walters... you have 24 hours!

And as a bonus -- here's Batgirl Gina Riley's!

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ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Videos

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Gay Games 9

In 2016, Cleveland will host the Republican National Convention and the Transplant Games of America. The mass of visitors and competitors will be able to zip in and out of downtown over the new Innerbelt Bridges or in the new trains cars on the RTA Red line from the airport. They'll be staying, among other places, at the new Hilton Convention Center Hotel which will be adding 600 new hotel rooms to downtown. They'll also have the opportunity to stay at any of 450 other new rooms that will be added to downtown as part of 3 other hotel projects. Public Square will have a totally new look with less concrete and more green space. It will be a relaxing central recreation spot for a downtown population that will have over 2000 new apartments to fill, that is if the occupancy rate stays over 95% as it has over the past few years. The 2nd Phase of the Flats, which will include 242 of those new apartments, 12 restaurants, and 1200-feet of boardwalk along the Cuyahoga River will be a year old and a cornerstone of that new and vibrant mixed use neighborhood. Sports fans will have a chance to see the Indians from a newly renovated Progressive field or can fight for a handful of remaining tickets to see a settled in Lebron leading the Cavs to hopefully another championship. The Gladiators could be pushing for a possible AFL 3-peat... and I can only hope that Johnny Football is still the last name on the bottom of the infamous Brown's quarterback jersey.

2016 sounds like it is going to be pretty great for the city of Cleveland but every day starting with today we need to prove ourselves as a city that not only deserves all of these great opportunities... but can handle all of the responsibilities that come with them. That's why this week was so important for the city. We had our first big test of our new found glory in the form of Gay Games 9. It was over a week filled with event coordination, visitors appreciation, and a bit of controversy to overcome. Did Cleveland shine on the big stage?

I decided to volunteer through work for the games. Why? Lots of reasons. Mainly because I have yet to find a way to make a lasting positive impact on this city. I've been racking my brain on how to leave my mark in a positive way on Cleveland in the time I'm going to spend here and haven't come up with anything yet. I know I have to start finding the right people and asking the right questions but until I get the nerve to do that, I figure volunteering is a great way to help out and where better to do so than at the biggest event of the summer... and anyone who doesn't believe that Cleveland being the host city for the Gay Games is a huge deal really needed to come downtown and see everything going on. There were people on the streets when there would normally not be. There were activities going on throughout the city. There were events happening in the stadiums, centers, and facilities. The city really was alive with activity! 

On Saturday I helped setup the festival village. It was a lot of manual labor but I was able to see and be a part of Mall C's transformation into the center of all of the Game's activities downtown. There were booths, tables, and a big stage area all going up at the same time in preparation for it's opening on Sunday. There were a lot of volunteers out and about doing various tasks. Actually, there were a lot more than I thought there would be. Definitely a pleasant surprise! The Terminal Tower was lit up in rainbow lights and welcome banners and flags were up all around downtown welcoming the athletes and visitors. The city looked great and all of the construction downtown made it look like we were definitely the up and coming city that we were expected to be based on all of our recent publicity. After my volunteer shift was done, I went to the casino and turned $25 into $90! I know I know... a casino so close to where I live is going to be great until it isn't. Until then though... whooohooo!

On Sunday I came back to help out some more at the festival village before it opened. This time, instead of manual labor, I was tasked with passing out flyers about the village to the athletes going into the Convention Center and really anyone who passed by. I got to talk to a lot of people from all over the globe about what the festival village was, were to check in, what was there to do, and how to get to places. This was right up my alley because all I do is keep up on everything Cleveland in my spare time. I was able to get people to where they wanted to go and give them some options on what to do. I loved it! I got people to go to the Rock Hall, East 4th, University Circle, the Casino, The East 9th pier... I was in some small way directly responsible for helping sell tickets and promote the city! This was truly a thrill for me.

Later on Sunday I worked the Key Bank (who in no way is affiliated with this blog or the comments expressed in it) booth at the festival village. We had a wheel to spin with prizes on it and everyone who spun won something. The village was rocking with lots of people and that one dance song base line that seemed to continue all through the night. It really was the place to be! Some of the spinners were not too happy that my scruffy beard and I weren't on the wheel as a prize... by the end of the night I was declared festival man meat and like a rock star had to slip out undetected when my shift was over to avoid my adoring fans... think I'm exaggerating? I'm not. It was a fun time!

Monday was my last day of volunteer work for the games and this time it was for an actual event... water polo. Why water polo? Truthfully it was all that was left really when I signed up. I've never played or even watched it before but that was good because I like learning new things. The water polo event was at Case and I'd never been there either so that was 2 new experiences in one night. Some call that a bonus! If you've never been to Case... go for the architecture alone! Especially if you're a dummy like me and wouldn't get accepted if you tried. Because I got there a tad late, I missed getting a chance to work the scoreboard or be a spotter but it worked out for me. They gave me a sharpie and put me in charge of updating the scores on the 2 schedule boards. Yup, sounds exhausting huh?! Seeing as I only had to do this between games, it gave me the opportunity to watch and learn a little about the sport. The matches were very entertaining and I even got a chance to see the hometown Cleveland team play.

I didn't get a chance to make it to any of the other events that week (except briefly to the rowing event) but I did follow it closely in the paper and on social media. There was only really great press. There actually should have been more in the Plain Dealer on the events in my opinion. Either way it was a success! The city came together and was a great host city for out new friends from the Gay Games. We couldn't have asked for a better group of people to come to our fair city and hope each and every one of you had a positive experience. 2016 is a long ways off but, if this past week was any sort of indicator, we will be ready for our future visitors. Bravo Cleveland and bravo to the Gay Games! What an amazing week it was.

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Leave me comments on your 
Gay Games experience

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Eat, Drink, & Be Merry in CLE

It was finally a "fun in the CLE" type of weekend last weekend! There were plans galore and they all took place in my city. We hit up some old favorites, some new trendy spots, and... bought a mattress. The best part about it was that we were able to experience it with friends and family. We love big plans and groups but we don't often get a chance to indulge in either. This weekend was a welcome exception.

Friday

Friday started with us hitting up the brand new extended patio at Barrio in Tremont with our friends Eli and Alexa. Barrio has a great outdoor fireplace and a fun little vibe to it. Unfortunately we couldn't take advantage of their great happy hour since it was packed but the tacos and margaritas are tasty at any price. Not much more I can say about the place that I haven't raved about before other than it's that much more fun to have great friends to enjoy it all with.

James Bond and Kevin Nash pose for a celebrity pic.

After we finished it was off to Hilarities on East 4th Street to see one of my favorite comedians, Jim Breuer! I've listened to him for years on the Opie and Anthony show and this was the 1st time I've seen him live. I can't lie... he did not disappoint! I'm pretty sure he told 3 or 4 stories but they were elaborate, animated, and hilarious. His impressions whether it be James Hetfield, his family members, or a pride of lions were over the top and comically accurate. It really was a laugh riot from the get go. Go to Netflix and check out his specials! You will not be disappointed.

Afterwards we couldn't pass up an opportunity to snap a pic
with the beautiful streetscape of East 4th as our backdrop.

Saturday

We finally bought a mattress! Poor Gina and I  have started walking like shrimp-back old fogies so we decided to bite the bullet and get ourselves a memory foam mattress. As I write this, we've been sleeping on it for a week and it's... much much different. We equate it to sleeping on a comfy slab of concrete but our backs are feeling much better.

We went right from the mattress place to TownHall in Ohio City to meet our friends Matt and Christine to catch up and grab a few (liberal term) drinks. They also have a great patio and beer list a mile long. Oh and if you haven't heard me rave about their bacon wrapped dates... is this your first time reading my blog? Christine and Gina decide to split a bottle of wine so the rest this blog may be filling in the cloudy blanks on the rest of the night.

From there we headed to Platform Brewhouse in SoLo (South of Lorian). This is a relatively new brewery so it was great to go check it out. The area it's in is kinda bare of businesses so the hope is that it becomes popular and attracts more investment. The idea behind the place is interesting as well. It's a brewery incubator which means they not only brew their own beer but it acts as a place for new brewers to come and try their hand at brewing. The beer that is brewed their is also sold there so you get to see how your recipes are received by the public. From there the new brewers can spin off and move to their own breweries. Although I don't know the details, there's usually some low cost rental, use, and possibly some financial investment, if the business plan of the new brewers is solid. I love the idea of business incubators! It gives newbies a chance to get up and running with minimal risk and lots of helpful resources. Good for business and good for Cleveland.

When you walk in there's a bowling machine and then a large bar and a lot of space. Gina and I got a flight of beers and went to chill out on their patio area. It was great to catch up with my former Parma Hospital running buddy and life coach, Christine. When it comes to being a great listener and cheerleader, she takes the cake. I can truly say that I wouldn't be the person I am today without her. I'm so proud of her and her boyfriend Matt. Their son is the cutest little man you'll ever see. They are also a huge part of Forest City Brewery which is currently in the planning phase and will call the Duck Island neighborhood of Cleveland home. I'm so excited for this and can't wait for them to clear up all of the financing and open!

We ended up the night at the most talk about bar in Cleveland lately, the Porco Lounge and Tiki Room. I know what you're saying... aren't there 50 or so tiki lounges in Cleveland? I mean our beautiful weather lends itself to Hawaiian shirts and coconut drinks right?!? That's what makes this place so awesome! It's unique and beautifully out of place. It's like it was picked up off the beach of a vacation island and plopped right on West 25th street. Be prepared when you go because the drink menu will blow your mind. It's stuffed full of delicious tropical rum drinks with the best names in the industry. The ambiance of the inside is dark but colorful. The decor is what you'd expect from a tiki bar but is so refreshing that you forget that the skys are grey here 85% of the year. The back patio is nice and the combination of a sunny afternoon and a fruity rum drink on your lips conjure up the comfortable sounds of waves breaking and seagulls squawking.

Great nights out are only as great as the company you get to hang with.
This was one of those nights where we got to enjoy every second because of these guys! 

Sunday

Yes we were hungover... but we were still ready to rock and roll! Gina's cousin Kerry joined us for Sunday brunch at Press Wine Bar to end our whirlwind weekend. We love hanging with Kerry as she slowly falls in love with Tremont. No better way to show off the neighborhood a bit like a Press brunch and their delicious and creative menu. There's nothing better on a non football Sunday than a great brunch conversation and Kerry never disappoints. The drinks were great and the weather was beautifully comfortable. The food was good but I think they kinda forgot about us. It did take a bit to come out and was a tad cold but we didn't mind too much. It just gave us more time to shoot the shit. I don't hold it against them and will certainly be back.

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Leave me comments on your favorite 

Restaurants and Bars in Cleveland

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