I'm Running for TWDC Board of Directors

To be honest, I was having a hard time coming up with something to write about this week. I was busy at work (even on the weekends) and Gina and I really just had a plain old week last week...well not plain old for us but you know. Then this Tuesday happened and everything changed.

In past posts I've made comments about wanting to help this city out, wanting to be more than just a consumer, and have laid out some ideas I've had about improving things. Well I've officially taken the 1st step in putting my money where my mouth is. I've officially applied for the Tremont West Development Corporation's Board of Directors. This year there are several seats open and I want to be elected for one of those seats for a 2 year term. I toyed with the idea since the first e-mail came out about applying but ultimately knew that this was the right thing for me to do. I just had to put some finishing touches on my application and pull the trigger. 

Tuesday night at our block club meeting each member who was running from our club was introduced and said a few words about who they were and why they were running. I was mentally preparing an off the cuff speech that wasn't really off the cuff since they were words and ideals that live in my heart and sit on the tip of my tongue at all times. While I was preparing and listening to other to get an idea of how to frame it all, Gina was elbowing me and whispering things in my ear making sure that I was going to speak up. She knows me too well and knew that in most cases like this I'd need a little push in order to stand up and deliver...in this case I didn't, although it was good to see how much she supported me at that moment.

I stood up, introduced myself, and laid it all out there for everyone to hear. I talked about how I heard a calling to do more for the city and neighborhood that I love. I talked about how I see everyday in Tremont things that other city are trying to mimic in order to survive in this new era of millennials and retired baby-boomers flocking back to big cities with big urban dreams and ideas. I talked about wanting to keep the success that we are seeing in this city and this neighborhood going and doing my part to guide it in the right direction with the same velocity. As I took breaths and looked around I saw captivated eyes, smiles, and people being responsive to what I was saying. I can't see you guys who read this and really don't ever get feedback, so it was a shock to finally see people react to what I've been saying all along. It gave me this feeling inside...a feeling like I may be able to finally help out in the ways I've always wanted to... a feeling that I wasn't alone.

I may be an idealist. I may be wearing my rose colored glasses. I may be a bit naive. I do know in my heart of hearts though that win or lose, this is the path I must follow in order to feel full in my personal life. I'll use this moment as a springboard to bigger and better things for this neighborhood and this city no matter how small the opportunity I get. I'll feel no sense of pride in winning and doing nothing. I'll feel no sense of shame in losing but continuing to help where ever I can, volunteering, pick up trash, supporting local businesses, and writing this blog.

So now I ask you for your support. If you are someone or if you know someone who lives in Tremont, especially if you or they are a member of Tremont West, please let them know that I, Sam Vozar, am running for the TWDC's Board of Directors. If you're a member, please come to the meeting on May 28th (location TBD) and vote. If you know a member, point them to this blog. Tell them how I spout off each week about how much I love this city and neighborhood and how I only want the best for the citizens that reside here. Please let them know that it's very important that they come out, show their support for Tremont West, and vote (hopefully for me). None of this is possible without the proper guidance and support that a neighborhood development corporation provides with the help of block clubs, activists, and good neighbors. When you don't feel like DC or your statehouse hears you, these groups do. This is where real change that you can actually see and touch happens. That is why I'm excited to have the opportunity to be a bigger part of it.

Unfortunately, if you're not a member already, the deadline has passed (4/1/15) to be eligible to vote in the upcoming meeting on May 28th. Even though you won't be able to vote for me, you should definitely consider being a member of Tremont West. See the information below for eligibility:

Membership Eligibility for Membership

Membership is granted, upon completion of a membership form and verification that the applicant is:

A. A person eighteen (18) years of age or older, who owns real property or resides in the Membership Area; 

or,

B. A business that is located in the Membership Area.

1. A "business" includes but is not limited to the following legal entities:Nonprofit Corporation, Limited Liability Corporation, Corporation, Partnership,and Sole Proprietorship.
2. A business that is eligible for membership is required to designate one (1)representative to act as the voting member. An individual designated as a voting member by a business is not eligible to be a voting member as an individual who resides or owns real property in the Membership Area.
3. Affiliated Businesses are eligible for only one membership. "Affiliated Businesses" are businesses located in the Membership Area that are under the control of the same person or entity. Control is ownership of more than 50% of the business. Paid employees of TWDC are not eligible to be voting members. Membership remains in effect until: 1) an individual member changes his or her residence address or dies; 2) a business member changes the location of its business or ceases operations.

Download a Membership Form Here

Please mail or drop off to:
Tremont West Development Corporation
2406 Professor Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113

I'll keep you up to date on everything about this including the meeting place when they pick one up until the meeting. Thank you in advance for you support. Take the next step urban pioneers and don't be afraid to fail as long as you can make a difference.

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Trains, Dyngus Day, and Sports

3/28/2015 - CVSR Train Ride with Breakfast

Gina got me a secret (everything lately has been secret) Train ride on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad for Valentine's Day!...which we missed because we were late. BUT Gina was able to "sweet talk" (which I'm sure is code for threaten) the customer service lady into moving our train tickets and breakfast to March. I love trains so I don't really care how many small children Gina had to dangle off buildings in order to get this done. She has her ways and I just go along for the ride! See what I did there?

This is a must do for anyone whether you're a fan of trains or not! It's so relaxing and the scenery is amazing. The trains are nice and comfy but a bit drafty so if you go during the winter you may need to keep your coat on. Oh and definitely pick the east side of the train to look out of. The west side just isn't as scenic. The breakfast, which you would have thought was going to be the let down, was actually very good! Everything about this made me smile and because we had so much fun, Gina and I are planning on riding to Akron to get dinner at Luigi's and then riding home...if the schedules allows.

4/2/2015 - Progressive Field Sneak Peek

Through work (which in no way approves of, acknowledges, or agrees/disagrees with anything having to do with this blog) I was able to get a sneak peek at the new changes to Progressive field and more importantly a free lunch. These changes included new corporate branding that is in no way awkwardly placed, opening up the northeast entrance so we could get a better view of the 9's parking garage, an expanded kids area that's strategically right next to a new bar, a new statue because the old one was (in some way that I don't understand) racist, and container storage in the right field upper deck for the players to store their belongings until they are able to move in. At least I think that's what everything is for. I'm not sure because...did I mention we got free food!?!

All kidding aside, I don't mind the changes that were made to Jacob's Progressive field. I love going there to watch games and I love the Indians. Plus it's a hell of a lot better than building a brand new stadium with public funds for a team that hasn't won a world series in 67 years and is run by billionaires. Thanks for the vote of confidence Sports Illustrated but maybe you should wait until May 1st before you curse an already cursed team. I hear John Maddens's putting Jerry Sands on the cover of this year's video game too. God I wish someone read this blog...I'm freaking hilarious sometimes.

4/6/2015 - Dyngus Day

Oh Dyngus Day! I really do love this holiday. This year Aunt Fran was tooling around somewhere down south with Uncle Stan and the weather wasn't even close to the awesome sunny heat that we had last year. Even though it may have cramped our style a bit, it didn't stop us from going out to have some Polish fun around Tremont. 

I finally got Gina into Sokolowski's for some delicious Polish food and live polka music. Since Sokolowski's is as Cleveland as the Indians, I won't go into great detail because most of you already know how awesome the food is whether you've been here or not. I will say that our meal didn't disappoint and was more of the same heaping helping, fill you up right, old world, tasty goodness that makes you wonder how much of it you can eat before your sides split open...and trust me, we walked that razor thin line. So much so that I had to buy some coco butter like I was pregnant. It's a shame I didn't know this place existed when I was a teen with endless metabolism!

We also got a chance to go to one of the Polish Veteran's Clubs and grab a few Polish drinks. The bar tenders were nice and the older patrons all had a story to tell. One of the older gentleman even had his eye on Gina but lucky for me he left his pills at home or I'd have been at risk for losing my best gal! Now we have to hit all the other ones in our neighborhood. You heard me. There are more than 1.

4/10/2015 - Opening Day - (L) Indians: 4       Tigers: 8

Opening Day was a great time even though we lost but in the future, unless I have tickets, this will probably be my last one. Why you ask? I'm 35 years old and it was never more obvious than when I was standing in a 2 X 2 inch square at the Thirsty Parrot watching the youth pour past me like a drunkin roaring rapid while me, the guy with the weave and spray tan, and someone who seriously could have been on-air talent for NPR (think turtleneck and tweed suit jacket) tried to look like we belonged. We did not. Girls have boobs -- so they belong anywhere. I was not physically prepared to be in this place and the intimidation showed on my face. I will gladly stick to my alley bars and fringe restaurants for next opening day and leave it to the youngins to party like rock stars. Good luck with that.

Marmalade is ready to rock...yes she has a name. I know...	That's about $400 worth of shoes right there. Ain't the the coolest?!?	Me and the Bobbsey Twins.
I talked with the guy in the back about his hip problem for 20 mins.	Yes, it's opening day!	I wish this picture was taken sideways and that the "C' wasn't cut off.

4/12/2015 - Our 1st Indians Game of 2015 - (L) Indians: 5       Tigers: 8

Before we went to our first game of 2015, we got brunch at Prosperity Social Club. This is one of our favorite places to go recently because of the atmosphere, service, and food. I guess those are the big 3 huh? Oh they're affordable too! This is a must must must go for brunch. Their dinner menu is great too but their brunch is...well let's just say we're taking people there now who spend the night or come up early on the weekends. We all ordered something different and everything was delicious. Salmon Cake Benedict...ya think about that one for a second. Yum! Bloody Mary's are good. Sides are great. You can't go wrong AND they have Saturday brunch as well. This was all the win we were going to get today however...

We got to the stadium and bought tickets in the cheap seats. I don't care what anyone says, there's not a bad seat in the house at Progressive field. We even got some sun in our face around the middle innings. If it wasn't for the drunkin angry Tiger fans (redundant, I know) who surrounded us chanting "We'all sweeped dem Injins", it would have been a perfect day. Love a good day at the ballpark.

We didn't get to see any of the new areas up close. I figure I'll wait until it's just me and Gina before I go off exploring. Everything looked great though from our seats! Even the PODS section in right field. Go Tribe!

I'm not sure who's trying to be who in this couple. What I do know is that it's creepy how similar these 2 are.

Way to show up Tribe Fans...

4/152015 - Cavs Game - (W) Cavs: 109       Pistons: 97

As if we didn't have enough sports this post, I bought us Cavs tickets too! I mean come on. I needed to attend a win or I was going to think it was me (more than likely Gina) who was bring Cleveland teams bad luck. Well we won thanks to J.R. Smith hitting 3's from everywhere and anywhere and Lebron even played! He messed around and got a triple-double. We got some hot dogs and cheered them our way. I have to say, today was a good day. I'm holding out hope that work gets one more ticket deal for the playoffs or I'll be watching them from home unfortunately. This is where I'll end it to avoid jinxing anything...

Until next time Urban Pioneers!

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Outdoor Art vs A Grey CLE

In big cities you can easily be overcome by the amount of grey and shades of grey you come across. Sidewalks, streets, steel supports, buildings, manhole covers, sewer grates, the sky, etc... And other than 50 shades of grey, the color does not translate into happy, bright, and cheery feelings! Blah, sadness, depression...But don't you worry because like the song says "Grey skies are going to clear up! Put on a happy face!"

Dendrite! Our front yard mascot.

There are people who are effected by their environment and then there are people who effect their environment. In order to conquer the grey in big cities you have to go out and add a little color to the urban palette! These efforts can range from the large art installations in public areas (think the Bean in Chicago) to the smallest little effort by 1 man or woman with some spray paint. Since cities have more to worry about than sprucing up an old rock or planting a couple of perennials, not enough gets done...and nothing ever gets done where it needs to get done. Affluent gentrified neighborhoods like Tremont get the benefit of public art projects because their citizens demand such things. Tremont is filled with art galleries, artists, and people who can make things happen. We get to benefit from things like Dendrite (the statue outside our house) or a pocket park by the new highway bridges (with IMO the best views of the city) because they are written into larger government funded projects. It's not because the city cares more about our neighborhood or less about others. It's because our neighborhood cares more about our neighborhood. We have a base to build upon. We used a ground up approach and now is the time when we can start putting the garnishment and decorations on our stable, proven, and time tested neighborhood.

Some neighborhoods aren't there yet but that doesn't mean that they should be punished by having to look at the grey urban landscape day in and day out. Actually these areas are the blank canvases that need color and art most of all. Art is not only a litmus test for urban success but it's also an economic driver. The Beachland Ballroom for example is a music hall that not only keeps the Waterloo Road sidewalks filled with visitors, it's the heart of the whole North Collinwood neighborhood! Show nights bring in fans for more than just the show. They get dinner, drinks, and put feet on the ground. The Capitol Theatre renovation in Gordon Square was a catalyst to the rejuvenation of that whole area. The Near West Theatre's new home is helping to push Gordon Square's success east down Detroit towards Hingetown which got a kick start from the Transformer Station art space that opened there in 2011. The Tremont Art Walk keeps people coming to the Tremont area art galleries and restaurants every 2nd Friday of the month.

Some public art on a building between the West Side Market and Great Lakes Brewery.

So what can you and your neighborhood do? Well, that's the best thing about art. Some of the best pieces cost little to put together. Take for instance Beaufort, SC. All they did was paint flowers around manhole covers and are now looking to expand that because of its popularity. Simple, cheap, easy...but also colorful and interesting. It reminds me of the Captain America-like manhole cover that I found in Tremont. All you need is a little imagination (and a lookout) and boom! You now have some art to breakup the grey canvas that surrounds you.

In Chicago, Gina and I came across an old mail box that had been equipped with flower boxes and flowers. It's so easy and simple but so creative an necessary at the same time. It looked so nice that the Post Office just left it there and put the updated blue box right next to it. In most cases, people (no matter how stuffy or regulated) will let these kinda things go because they are, even in the littlest way, important to neighborhoods and to cities. Plus it's not worth the time, effort, and potential backlash to remove it. Art gets a +1 over the federal government on this one.

Art just isn't there to look at either. Some of the most popular pieces are interactive. It makes people stop what they're doing and go get a picture or spin a wheel or walk up something. Great interactive art plays with your human need to participate but not enough to be complicated. Take for instance the painting outside of Grumpy's below on the left. Flowers with the centers cut out. No instructions. Not a whole lot of money invested in it. You feel however the need to pop your heads in and snap a picture. It works on a lot of levels but it makes you want to interact with it and it makes you happy. The picture from Navy Pier on the right is a little more elaborate but I'm guessing that Gina isn't the first person (although she is the best looking) to pose in this way with it. She's smiling and we laughed about it later while looking at pictures. Being able to interact with your environment leaves you with a lasting connection to that place and time. Have you ever felt that way walking past a fast food parking lot?

The Kazimir's enjoying Tremont.

The adult equivalent of finger painting. Kindergarten shit.

With that all being said... I think tagging your misspelled name in a goofy font on a exterior wall or sign is pointless and stupid. Yes, it's still art but I'm allowed to have my opinion and my opinion is that it's lazy and worthless. Fortunately its saving grace is that it represents the other side of public art...having balls. There are museums filled with beautiful pieces of art and parks filled with even more. You sign up, submit ideas and concepts, get chosen, work for months, and have it installed. Bravo! Honestly, that takes way too long and there's a good possibility that most of us will never have this happen. Now avoiding that whole getting chosen and being approved process thing and going right out to create takes balls. And when you're done, for nothing to happen to it because it's that damn good...that's respect right there! Sometimes you just have to create and be seen! It's a feeling that can't be micromanaged.

Don't get me wrong, Government funded art is all well and good but the most intriguing and infamous art sometimes comes from a talented person with little money to work with and a desire to be noticed. There's so much blank canvas out there in Cleveland that needs to be targeted but it doesn't seem like there are a lot of artists out there that want to take advantage of it. Maybe that shows how we perceive government's support of public art? We're scared to get caught because we don't see it as art. We see it as a crime.

Maybe it's about time we start to publicly express ourselves artistically past that line of good decency urban pioneers?...

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365 Days Blogging About Cleveland

April 2, 2015 - Ladies and Gentleman, it's been exactly 365 days since I started blogging about my adventures in Cleveland. That's right. 78 posts later and the name of the blog finally has some meaning. I guess it'll have meaning again on May 1st when it will be 365 days actually living in Cleveland...but a man needs content! Especially when he's waiting for it to stop snowing in April so he can get back at it. 

As I look back at the blog stats for my 78 posts, I've had almost 9,200 views from 10 counties which is weird, unexpected, and certainly a glitch of some kind. I've made a whopping $0.14 from ad clicks. I don't really see any particular thing that you people like to read about more than others except you kinda hate when I talk about my ideas and not about things that I actually did. Understandable since I do that for my own peace of mind and because maybe I just felt lazy that week and didn't do anything. Those weeks are few and far between though thanks to this blog and to the fact that I feel compelled to keep doing things in order to have something to write about. I, like many of you, fight the urge to just relax my spare time away but because I can only BS my way through my opinions on architecture, urban planning, and mass transit just so much without boring everyone to sleep, I have to get myself out and explore. Even if it's going to a new restaurant (a word in which I can now spell correctly about 85% of the time since starting this blog), I think of the 6 people who read this and get my butt out of the house.

With that all being said... I am going to continue blogging for another 365 days in Cleveland!

There's actually a lot of positive/selfish reasons why I'm going to continue to write this blog. Mostly I want people to know that there is more to this city than what you hear on the news. If that was your only reference point, there'd be downtown and the East Side where all of the gang violence happens. It's a sad fact that the news just up and assumes that you know about every neighborhood and street in this city. The fact is that most of the people I talk to about Cleveland have no idea about my neighborhood, Tremont, or even where it is. My neighborhood has a low crime rate, 4-star restaurants, high-end boutique shopping, a huge neighborhood park with a public pool, and $450,000 homes with city views. Yup, that is an area of land within the boarders of Cleveland, Ohio and not a separate city that just boarders it. It's a 15 min walk through the Flats to downtown and a 10 min walk to the West Side Market. Similarly great things can be said to describe other Cleveland neighborhoods like Ohio City, University Circle, West Park, North Collinwood, Detroit Shoreway, Buckeye-Shaker, etc... They are all within the boundaries of the city of Cleveland and have their own positive things going for them.

For Example...

The Beachland Ballroom and the Cleveland Clothing Company's flagship store are in North Collinwood but did you know that Waterloo Road just completed a huge streetscape project with public art installations that is drawing new small businesses to the area to join the art galleries and existing shops? North Collinwood is right along the lakefront and not even in the way that downtown is "on the lakefront". You know, how you have to go over train tracks, streets, highways, and more streets to get to downtown's lakefront. Ya, it's nothing like that! Euclid Beach Park is right there! It's the next great Cleveland neighborhood and everyone is taking notice!

Want another example?...

You can find local favorites like Happy Dog and Sweet Moses in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood but you can also find places like 78th Street Studios which is the largest fine arts complex in NE Ohio with over 43 retail galleries, studios, and other creative spaces. The neighborhood has beautiful old homes and brand new $350,000 townhouses. Go north through any of the pedestrian tunnels and you're right there at Edgewater Park along the lake. It's a great neighborhood all year round but it's especially fun on Dyngus Day when it becomes ground zero for this great Polish celebration! 

...And the list goes on and on. It's not all about the downtown renascence or the crime on the east side, it's about people of all kinds moving back to the city and making it work for them. They're taking a risk with the hope of a big payoff in the end. Sure the schools are still crumby but there are great schools here that are attracting families to once forgotten Cleveland neighborhoods. Once great buildings and homes that have been abandoned for years are now diamonds in the rough for people who have the passion to do some improvements and get their hands dirty. We really have turned a corner and you can feel that fact like an electric shock in the air.

With all that has happened in the last 365 days, it feels as if we've seen the red tape get cleared away and are ready to see some serious progress in this next year. Progress that will give me new buildings to visit and take pictures of, new events to attend, new thrills to experience...and I'm so ready! So just for shits and giggles, here is my Cleveland bucket list for this year:

• Attend my 1st Cleveland National Air Show on September 5th, 6th, and 7th.
• Take pictures of the city from the Terminal Tower observation deck. Only $5!
• Kayak the Cuyahoga River. Hopefully the place that does this is still open...
• Eat at Happy Dog at the Euclid Tavern.
• Attend a service at St. Stanislaus.
• See the Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall
• See a concert at Jacob's Pavilion. Probably BNL...
• Go to the Cleveland Aquarium with Jeremy. Then when we're done...probably Christie's!
• Go to the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo with Jeremy. Monday's are free for Cuyahoga county residents!...and people from Hinkley township? Weird.
• Go to Lakeview cemetery. Not in a pine box.
• Go to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. Gina's been bugging me about this one lately.
• Go to the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse and take a bike ride through Rockefeller park. Free!
• Finally attend a Burning River Fest. I'm always at music festivals when this is going on but not this year!
• Play Frisbee on the mall downtown.

That's all I can think of for now. If you have any for me, leave them in the comments section. Here's to another 365 Days in Cleveland urban pioneers!

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