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.
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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.
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| 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.
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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!
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| 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. |  |
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| 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
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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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