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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The Cavs Draft Party

6/26/2014

As you can see by the image above... Free Tickets! So of course Gina and I went to see who the Cavs would pick #1 in the NBA draft. We walked over to the Q a bit early to get good seats because we had no idea how many people would be there. Plus we were hungry and it was $1 hot dog and soda night. When we walked in there were lots of people waiting in line for food and signing up for the fan fest which got them on the court for games, food, and a shoot around.

Our first stop was the team store to check out the goods. We each picked up a jersey of a player that's no longer on the roster for $10 a piece. You can't beat that price! Good looking couple of Cavs fans here.

Next stop was for food and then to our seats. We tried to get close to the court but there were a lot of people there. There were actually way more than I thought. Probably around the attendance at an average game, if you count the people on the court. We ate our hot dogs and watched the festivities for awhile.

After eating I spotted a few club seats on the other side of the court in the front row. They were way better than the seats we were in so we went on the move. After finding the seats we settled in for the big pick.

In the end, after all of the speculation and discussion, the Cavs picked Andrew Wiggins 1st overall. The crowd cheered and seemed happy with the pick. Wiggins is a great player and well deserving of the #1 pick. I got to see him a few times on TV against Texas and in the tournament. Our #1 picks in the recent past, other than last year's, have been great players so our hope for another gave us a great feeling for next year's team. It was great to see everyone there celebrating and excited for Cavs basketball. Lets hope Wiggins and the new coach make a difference and help get us to the playoffs... with or without Lebron.

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Indians vs Angles - Swisher Sweet

6/19/2014 - Cleveland Indians vs LA Angels

My work (which in no way shares in or promotes my opinions on this blog) gave employees a $25 ticket (which included a $5 voucher) to an Indians game last week. The tickets were in the left field bleachers but it's early in the baseball season still which means that there are lots of good seats and standing areas to move to to watch the game... you know, if you do that sorta stuff... I for sure do not!... probably. My co-worker Eli met me at my place and we hiked the 15 mins through the flats to Jacob... Progressive field to watch the game. It was a great day for baseball! The temp was in the 80's and early rain had cleared out most of the humidity. Hot in the sun and cool in the shade. The perfect weather for getting paid to be at the ballpark!

The game for the most part was pretty par for the course. We paid attention as long as we could and then went to eat and roam around. I decided to not eat lunch beforehand so that I could partake in some ballpark hot dogs. With my $5 food voucher it seemed like a great idea to get 3! After eating we camped out on the Home Run porch in left to watch a few innings. I do love watching the Indians live. I grew up going to some great games in this ballpark and feel some sort of connection to it and comfort with it. I haven't been to too many games over the past few years because it's just so damn expensive. Thank goodness work gives us discounted tickets to sporting events sometimes because it has allowed me become a fan again. It's definitely one of the perks to working for a hometown employer that advertises!

Snuck down while the security guy was taking a dump. Great view!

I'll cut to the chase on this one since I'm writing about a baseball game... The Indians were down by a run in the bottom of the 10th. The bases were loaded and there were 2 outs. Nick Swisher was up and was 0-4 for the day. Now I'll digress a bit but only to add my own little bit of sports magic to the story... Before we left, Gina asked me to pick her up a jersey since "your sister lost a bunch of weight and can fit into the one she gave me again so I had to give it back." Indian giver of an Indian's jersey... yup. So while wandering around about mid game, I stopped into the women's pink ribbon tight-fitting bedazzled gift shop. After coming to the conclusion that whatever I get Gina she wouldn't like but would pretend to, I got her a Nick Swisher jersey/shirt thingy. I think women think he's hot and she usually likes guys that all women think are hot so I went with it... now fast forward back to us sitting in way better seats than what we started out with and Swisher at bat. Now watch the video to see what I made happen with my purchase:

If for some reason you can't see the video, go here: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/06/19/cool-walkoff-bro-nick-swisher-hits-a-grand-slam-to-win-it-in-the-10th/

I've never seen a walk off grand slam in person before this but I have to tell you... it was awesome! I haven't really cheered that hard and loud in that stadium in some time. It was a good feeling. It was great high 5'ing strangers and Whhhoooooing as loud as I could. It was great to see him getting mobbed at home plate. It's nice to feel anything positive about Cleveland sports these days. I have to say that one of the great perks to living in Cleveland has been being able to easily get to these things. Oh and not having to leave early to beat traffic... I'd have missed this little gem if I did.

My next great sports adventure will be on Thursday (6/26) when Gina and I go to the Cavs draft party at the Q! You can't beat free tickets... that should be my catch phrase. I say it enough. Oh and if you wanted proof of my sports magic...

You get'em girl!

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Catching up

So the last few weeks have been filled with trying to dig out of the combining of 2 houses into one downstairs duplex. It's actually coming along way better than I expected. A few shelves and bars to hang clothes and this house is becoming a home.

Some things I missed...

I went to another Gladiators game and saw another win! I love going to these games and my seats this time were way closer. So pictures with KISS this time though.

We hit the casino afterwards and they wouldn't let Gina in without a drivers license which she left at home. She got the chance to walk around and get familiar with Tower City though which she liked. I broke even on the slots so it ended up being a great night.

I went to a gentleman's baby shower for my friend Steve up in Sandusky at his in-laws summer house. We rode around in a boat, went swimming, and had loads of fun. It's always great to see old friends and have some fun before kids come along and make that all a bit more difficult.

Father's day started off with a neighborhood yard sale. We sold a bunch of extra things and made some much needed room in the apartment. The money we made is going to go to a train trip to Chicago later this year.

Afterwards I went to my parent's house for Father's day. It's always good to go home to see them minus the drive. We ate dinner and just chilled. So relaxing! I got my dad tickets to an Indian's game next month. My mom and Gina will be there too. He seemed happy with it. He deserves much much more since he's done so much for me. Little by little I hope to pay him back and make it all worth it.

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Ceramics Class - Insert Ghost Reference Here

I haven't been able to wrap my mind around the classes that Gina signs us up for. Terrarium building, raw food making, and the one we went to this week, Ceramics class. Now don't get me wrong. They have all been great new experiences and lots of fun... I just can never put my finger on who Gina is and where these things come from in her personality. Is she a new aged hipster looking to eat right and make her own plates and mugs? Maybe but she's drunk on moonshine, eating hot dogs, and camping at country fest right now so who knows? What we do know is she's broad scoped and open minded... and that's one of the things I love about her. She's everyone in Green Acres all rolled into one... except the pig.

So that brings us to our ceramics class with Gina DeSantis. We ventured over to the Screw Factory is in the Lake Erie building in Lakewood (13000 Athens Ave, Lakewood. Studio C323 on floor 3 of the factory) for the class and WE WERE EARLY! That was worth the experience right there since we are late to everything. The Screw Factory is a huge old industrial building in Lakewood's Bird Town neighborhood. It was once the home of the Templar Car Company and now houses businesses and artist studios. Gina D teaches classes and does her work out of her studio there.

We were 2 of the 3 students in this class so it was very personalized. First, we watched her go through the steps in making the plates. She used a plastic plate to mold the clay into shape and then after getting it smoothed and formed, she used pre-made decorative sheets to transfer color onto the clay. She gave us some time saving tips and tricks since we only had two hours to create our masterpieces and then let us loose.

Gina and I got in touch with our creative sides and got after it. The clay was already thrown and de-bubbled so we just cut and molded. The pre-made decorations added an easy and colorful artsy look. There were also letter stencils there if we wanted to add some words. All we really had to do was be artistic with our tools.

The class was fun and easy. Even though I hadn't played with clay since high school and Gina R had never worked with clay before, we were able to quickly jump into it and produce great looking plates. Gina D was a great teacher and was there for us to tap into the whole way, if we had questions or trouble. When we were done, we gave our clay plates to Gina D. After they dry she will fire them, glaze them, and then fire them again. It'll take about 3 weeks for them to be completely finished and ready to eat off of. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Gina R's are on the left and Mine are on the right.

Thanks to Gina DeSantis for teaching the class and being so nice to us. If you're in the area and want to have a artistic outlet, I recommend signing up for her class. We're definitely going to sign up for others.

Check out her class list here: http://ginadesantisceramics.com/?page_id=1342

If you're looking for some beautiful already made ceramic pieces, check her out at the Cleveland Flea! Ya, the Cleveland Flea. The same place you can find Brewnuts, Jessica Kinsinger, and loads of other talented artists that we love! How many times do I have to promote this thing before you go! GO!

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I'm nuts for BREWNUTS!

There's so much going on this week but I have to focus on my favorite meal of the weekend. Gina's Aunt Julie texted her out of the blue early Sunday morning and told her that we should pop into Brewnuts for breakfast and tell her how it was. Of course I was saving Brewnuts for when Gina finally moved in so she could experience it with me but it's moving week and this was as good a time as any... plus it's doughnuts made of beer for goodness sake! We threw on some clothes for the day and headed over. We were planning on getting a couple of goodies 1st and then stopping in at Press for some brunch. You know, like French do it! Dessert before the meal... or maybe it's the Chinese... or maybe it was in Star Trek but either/or, it's a great idea! Well after that fun word play sentence, we never made it to Press. Hell we almost didn't make it back home. Wanna know why?...

Meet owners of Brewnuts, Shelley Fasulko and John Pippin. No, seriously. Go in to Brewnuts and chat them up. Ask them about their business or the city in general. They are the nicest, most down to earth people we've met here so far and if I failed to take one delicious bite of their product that day, I'd go back just for the conversation. I'm just so fascinated with the way they started their business, how it's working out so far, and where they are going with it. They're small business owners who took a great idea and are running with it. This is the story Clevelanders want to follow. We want to cheer for them and find out where the snags are so we can try to help eliminate them. We want to know if the city/state is inviting to new small business or if they set up miles of red tape. We want them and good people like them to succeed so we can believe that Cleveland is continuing to get better.

First Impressions - I loved the whole look of the place! Right when you walk in you'll notice how the colorful furniture and decor pop from the grey walls. If you know me, that's right up my alley. Gina noticed the old hand picked furniture right away as she has a nose for it. Most pieces in the store have a Pintristy re-use look to them which adds that Tremont art dimension to your experience. It's a cozy space which does lend back to the bakeries of our youth but they also have some window seating for you. It comes in handy for when you're too far away from home to carry these delicious little things for fear that you'll eat through the box to get to them. Instant gratification opportunity!

The Food - Brewnuts are doughnuts made with local beer that have icing on them made from local beer. I'll wait for the college students to regain consciousness... OK. They start the morning with quite a variety but don't get there to late because you'll be out of luck. These things sell out and they only make as many as they can fit onto the flat surfaces in their condo. Yes people, homemade! Gina and I are adventurous but we are trying to slim down so as much as we wanted to buy all of them, we settled for 2 a piece and a cup of coffee.  I had a chocolate with caramel and salt icing and a blueberry with poppy seeds. I can't quite remember what Gina had but one thing is for sure... we loved the doughnuts. The addition of beer made the flavors uniquely stand out but didn't give it that bitter beer taste or dominate the flavor like liquor in cupcakes. Replacing some of the milk with the beer didn't change the consistency either. These were honest to goodness doughnuts... and they were great!

I can't say much either way about the coffee since I'm not much of a coffee connoisseur but it was a fitting and traditional pairing. It could have been any brand at any price and I'd have no idea. That one you'll just have to check out for yourself.

Overall - I love this idea! It surfs the tsunami that is the craft brewery revolution in Cleveland but also fills a very basic need in this city... Normal everyday businesses that you'd think would be abundant in an urban area but aren't for some reason. It's a small locally owned business which is what neighborhoods like Tremont are in the business of kick starting and supporting. It puts a new-age twist on an all time favorite which gets you in the door and allows you to stand out and get noticed. It has all of these things going for it and that's why you want it to succeed. Plus Brewnuts taste delicious! Every once in awhile, especially by us, you just want some coffee and a great doughnut and not a full out brunch. This is my new go to place for that.

You can visit them at 2406 Professor Ave in Tremont, the Cleveland Flea, or grab some at Rising Star Coffee Roasters in Hingetown. I personally recommend stopping into their store in Tremont for their great personal service.

Look for Gina & my's polaroid on the map in the bathroom under Spokan and the fish :) 

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Nom Nom Nom

So in my livings here in Tremont I have had the chance to eat at some great places so far. The thing Gina and I are trying not to do is eat out every night so we can A) fit through the door in 6 months and B) continue to be able to pay rent. It's true that the great restaurants here in the neighborhood have wonderful food but they can be kinda pricey. Your best bet is to treat yourself every once in awhile and make sure to hit up happy hours and specials whenever you can... oh and start working out! This is all contingent on if you're like me - barely making it by financially and have 0 metabolism to speak of. If you have neither of those traits, go nuts!... And send me money... but like old money that's just siting around not doing anything. Not like brand new crisp money.

Dervish Grill

Dervish Grill is way at the other end of Professor. OK, I do say "way" like it's not a 5 min walk from my house but it is significant because it's not in the heart of everything around the Lolita/Press/Dante/Banyon Tree area. That may not make a difference to Tremonters who are use to the size of the neighborhood and where everything is but location is everything to use newbies and to other outsiders. Now with that being said... wait for it... if you like Mediterranean or want to try Turkish food, find this place! Gina and I went and the food is not only great but the atmosphere is great too. These places all have the feel as if they were retrofitted into buildings that weren't originally designed for business and I really like that kind of look and feel. It gives you a unique setting that isn't really out there in the mainstream too much. I ordered the a gyro which was served with a combination of season lamb and beef. If you get there around lunch, I was told that you get the freshest cuts of both in this meal. They were fresh and delicious. I actually ate them so fast that I made quite a mess of my area. Next time we're going to ave to bring the bag attachment to catch my shavings. Gina got a white bean salad that was great and refreshing. I may get it on a 99 degree 132% humidity day as a pick me up. The baklava dessert was a fitting ending to a wonderful meal and probably the best I've ever had. We sat in a cute little curved corner booth and enjoyed every minute of it.

Bac Asian American Bistro and Bar

1st and foremost when it comes to Bac Asian American Bistro and Bar, bring your appetite. The servings are huge. We stopped by Bac and sat on their great front outdoor patio to get some dinner. They have lots of variety on their menu and each meal looked delicious and packed full of ingredients. We started out our meal with Summer rolls and if you haven't seen a roll wrapped in soft rice paper then you may be in for a weird surprise. It looks like white skin and the texture is like sticky rice. These aren't strip mall Chinese egg rolls like you may be used to. If you can get past the look and feel, it's worth it for the refreshing taste. I got the Pad Thai and Gina got the Avocado Green Curry. The Pad Thai has a peanut sauce on rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, and veggies... and the portion is huge! It looked like a family style portion. It was delicious too and I had to struggle to eat it all. I keep stressing the refreshing flavors of the meals and the refreshiness of the ingredients was a perfect compliment to the fullness I felt after eating it. The Avocado Green Curry was spicy and good. It comes with lots of curry so if you like that I definitely recommend it. The price of the special drinks are kinda high so bring your wallet if you plan on fancy drinking. The patio is a major perk so head there on a beautiful day and enjoy!

Edison's Pizza Kitchen

Last night I had a hankering for some pizza so I stopped out to Edison's Pizza Kitchen. I tried to pre-order but their link to foodtoyou.com didn't seem to take me anywhere. It was OK though because during my 30 min wait, I grabbed a beer at Edison's Pub. The pizza is greasy deliciousness and if you like your pizza like that, it may be the best in the city. The sausage comes in huge chunks and is spicy Italian (like me). The crust is painted with a garlicy butter sauce and sprinkled with shaker cheese. Once you get to the crust, you can dip it in the honey that they provide you for a nice little treat. The whole pizza experience was awesome and the pie is so big that I will be eating it for days to come. Edison's also has sandwiches and other pizza shop type food like calzones. If you're in a hurry, you can get a cheap slice too. Edison's pub has tables for you to eat the pizza at while you grab a drink or 5 if you're out for that too. I'm so happy that this is so close to my place and it will be my pizza of choice while I'm here.

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Leave me comments on 
your favorite Cleveland Restaurants

in the Comments Section below.

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