So recently I visited another city in Ohio and I was taken aback by how mean people where. No one held the door. A person bumped into me and said nothing. I stopped a woman who dropped a $20 bill and she did not even say thank you. When I asked about this phenomena, I was told that it was a part of town where people are rather wealthy and they feel entitled. Somehow that is supposed to translate to, I don't have to be nice to my neighbor.
On the last day of this trip, I realized how much I take Clevelanders for granted. At the beginning of the Cleveland Indians season, new manager Terry Francona gave an interview where he stated that he was surprised at how nice people were in Cleveland. It finally dawned on me while I was in the state's capital...oh, I know I just let it slip...that Clevelanders really are a caring bunch.
Whenever I am leaving a store or restaurant, people rush a few steps to hold the door. I have had strangers make googly faces at my children when they are crying in the grocery store instead of huffing that they have to listen to them. People generally tip well, ok, I don't really know this, but people in my inner circle tip well because that is what we do.
Today marks 12 years since September 11th 2001. More than previous years, today feels like there is a shroud hanging over us. Initially I was looking forward to keeping my head down and wishing the day away so the shroud would be gone tomorrow. I saw a police officer in the middle of the street directing traffic. Then it dawned on me that I saw several police officers in intersections that I normally do not see. Security is definitely beefed up today. It's also 92 degrees at lunch. I decided to do something nice for a bunch of people...anonymously though. It took the rest of lunch. To see the relief and joy on people's faces makes me happy and proud. One of my mantras is do to others as you would want. Hmm...what would make my day if I was standing in the extreme heat? I am a Clevelander who helps make this place one of the nicest cities. I know of friends who are doing the same as well. Brit bought a homeless man lunch. Another fed meters that were about to expire. Yes, law enforcement friends, I know it's not technically legal, but wouldn't you want someone to put an extra dime in the meter for you instead of getting a $150 ticket?
Join me. In honor of those who lost their lives, do something good for someone else today. Offer a hand, a smile, a word of encouragement, drop off food to a struggling family, pass out water to hot workers, pet a dog. It does not have to be a permanent commitment. Do one good thing today.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
What could bring me back??? Some darn good southern cooking at Stonetown
It's been a while...it's been a long while since I last posted. Life has been quite hectic being pregnant, dealing with crazy weather/house issues, having a baby, dealing with postpartum anxiety and then depression, all the while still trying to work. Life has been demanding and something had to give. Several things did give and this blog was one of them. But, I am now in a better place so I am back. So...what would be my first post back? The Cleveland Zoo? The second half of my West Side Market post? Nope.
Today, a co-worker and I went to a place on Prospect and about East 6th Street area called Stonetown. It is affiliated with Angie's Soul Food Cafe. You might remember that I really dig their food truck. Anyway, we made the hike over there and sat down. I was thirsty so I ordered a water. My co-worker ordered an ice tea. Very important to remember a southern/soul food restaurant will serve sweet tea, not brewed unsweetened tea. They serve their drinks in 32oz mason jars. I wish my water would have come in one of those, but they quickly brought me a bottle to refill my water which was great. I hate waiting for water refills on a hot day.
The menu looked awesome and I saw several items that I wanted to try. My co-worker decided on the red fish tacos that come with a side of sweet potato fries and a side of collard greens. Initially, I was going to order the tacos as well, but then opted for the Yard Bird, Red Velvet waffles, and Grits. I was a little worried that it would be a gooey, overly sweet mess, but I did run this morning so I thought, what the heck. Oh my, my that was some delicious food! I ate all of it! There was not one thing of my plate that was average; it was all excellent. I picked at the bare fried chicken wing bones looking for a morsel more of meat to eat. I hate to admit this, but I actually contemplated ordering more fried chicken. Two fried chicken wings was not enough. It was heavenly. Oh and the grits! Smooth, buttery with some salt. It was some of the best grits I have ever had. No joke. The two small round Red Velvet waffles were great. They were not too sweet and they came dry so I could put on as little or as much syrup or butter as I wanted. It was a delicious end of the meal dessert.
Best part? The prices are ridiculously awesome (at least for lunch). My meal was $6.95. I will definitely be going back. I will definitely be having more fried chicken. I am probably going to dream about this meal tonight.
Stonetown is located at 627 Prospect Ave. http://www.stonetownusa.com/ Reservations for dinner is highly suggested.
Today, a co-worker and I went to a place on Prospect and about East 6th Street area called Stonetown. It is affiliated with Angie's Soul Food Cafe. You might remember that I really dig their food truck. Anyway, we made the hike over there and sat down. I was thirsty so I ordered a water. My co-worker ordered an ice tea. Very important to remember a southern/soul food restaurant will serve sweet tea, not brewed unsweetened tea. They serve their drinks in 32oz mason jars. I wish my water would have come in one of those, but they quickly brought me a bottle to refill my water which was great. I hate waiting for water refills on a hot day.
The menu looked awesome and I saw several items that I wanted to try. My co-worker decided on the red fish tacos that come with a side of sweet potato fries and a side of collard greens. Initially, I was going to order the tacos as well, but then opted for the Yard Bird, Red Velvet waffles, and Grits. I was a little worried that it would be a gooey, overly sweet mess, but I did run this morning so I thought, what the heck. Oh my, my that was some delicious food! I ate all of it! There was not one thing of my plate that was average; it was all excellent. I picked at the bare fried chicken wing bones looking for a morsel more of meat to eat. I hate to admit this, but I actually contemplated ordering more fried chicken. Two fried chicken wings was not enough. It was heavenly. Oh and the grits! Smooth, buttery with some salt. It was some of the best grits I have ever had. No joke. The two small round Red Velvet waffles were great. They were not too sweet and they came dry so I could put on as little or as much syrup or butter as I wanted. It was a delicious end of the meal dessert.
Photo from Stonetown's website because I really did not want
to use a picture of my chicken bones and bare plate.
Best part? The prices are ridiculously awesome (at least for lunch). My meal was $6.95. I will definitely be going back. I will definitely be having more fried chicken. I am probably going to dream about this meal tonight.
Stonetown is located at 627 Prospect Ave. http://www.stonetownusa.com/ Reservations for dinner is highly suggested.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
I am very thankful for Fresh Fork Market
Fresh Fork Market isn't a destination in CLE, but I am so happy with it that I must share. First, I will digress.
A year and a half ago I joined my first CSA. If you do not know what a CSA is by now, you need to get with it! CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Food grown by local farmers. Winter 2010-2011, I signed up for an organic CSA that delivered one basket a month in the winter and once a week in the summer. I had to drive to a "somewhat" local farmer's market to pick up my fruits and vegetables. If I wanted eggs or meats, I had to purchase them extra. I bought eggs occasionally, which I loved. Unfortunately, I never bought meat because it wasn't available at the market. I would have to drive out to the farm over an hour away to pick it up. The winter baskets were fine because I received a lot of squashes, pumpkins, and root veggies that I could mash up for a young Little Dudo. However, I was extremely disappointed in the summer deliveries. I understand that it was a very wet spring last year (the extreme opposite of this year). Some weeks, I felt that I was wasting gas and my precious time driving to pick up my puny order. One pick-up in particular, I received one zucchini, a bunch of very wilted lettuce, an onion, a few potatoes, and one small head of garlic. The deliveries simply were not enough to cover my initial expense. I could have bought the same amount at the West Side Market for half the price! Fortunately other people complained because the next few weeks the baskets were bigger, but the veggies were still wilted. That CSA was a small operation and after a while I realized that they took on more subscribers than they could handle.
Not only that, they lacked customer service. I saw the same person every single week for almost a year and he did not once remember me. He didn't have to remember my name, but at least remember that I am one of your CSA subscribers. I missed my order one week and asked if I could drive out to the farm to pick it up. I was told to come on down. I packed Little Dudo in the car and we set out on this long, long drive. When I got to the farm, no one was home. We walked around looking at the chickens for 20 minutes until he finally rolled up. I was so angry. The very last straw came in the final weeks of the CSA. I drove to the farmer's market early with Little Dudo for my pick-up. I checked in and waited for him to assemble my basket. Then I was told I had to wait because he wanted to get the order for the guy who came after me...he had a larger order than I did. Here I am in 90 degree weather holding a baby and I had to take a back seat for an middle aged balding male. I knew at that point I would need another CSA. I was not going to give up on my quest for delicious, organic local food, I was just giving up on that CSA. I tell you this long winded story so you understand how very thankful I am for Fresh Fork Market.
I spoke to a former co-worker who is similar minded about his family's food. He said that he joined Fresh Fork Market and loved it. I immediately went to their website http://wp.freshforkmarket.com/ which had a ton of information about the program, how it started, some of the farmers and vendors they work with, and sample weekly deliveries. I could not believe what I read that they worked with farmers AND vendors. Not only would I be receiving fruits and vegetables, but also meats, cheeses, grains, eggs, syrup, and other special goodies rotated each week. I would hardly ever get the same foods weeks in a row, like the previous CSA. Not everything is organic, but their concern for sustainability and chemical pesticides made me want to join. It was winter time so I emailed and also called to see if I could be added on. A few days later, Trevor called me and said that I was in luck and could be added to the winter session. Trevor emailed me a few times to set up my online profile. I received emails the Tuesday before my bi-Thursday delivery, informing me of what I would expect to receive. Also, FFM has numerous pick-up locations on different days. If I could not make it to the one in my hometown, then I could go to a neighboring one on a different day. If I was on vacation, then I could roll over credit to another week. FFM isn't a CSA. They describe themselves as a "grocery subscription based on a CSA model." I like to think of it as a CSA on steroids.
Fresh Fork Market has far exceeded my expectations and I will never leave this company unless they close up shop. During the winter, the emphasis was on meats, cheeses, and other non-perishable staples. (FFM has vegetarian and vegan options as well.) I also received raspberries and corn frozen from the summer harvest and other veggies that were grown in greenhouses, which Dudo loved. I was so happy with the winter bags that I quickly paid upfront for the large weekly summer subscription. The few weeks wait between the end of winter and the first summer pick-up was torturous. Soon, the month of June approached and then we all received communications from Trevor about the upcoming summer FMM season.
In case you did not pick up from previous posts, we are adding a little chica to our happy family. So, I am not in the mood to go grocery shopping every week for our expanding broad. FMM to the rescue! With weekly pick-ups, I have lots of veggies, fruits, and plenty of proteins to cook delicious and nutritious meals for the fam. There are small packages or large packages for weekly summer pick-up. I opted for the large package. I have froze food to use over the winter and given some goodies away too. Every week is different. I am surprised that I am anxious to read my Tuesday email outlining what will be in my Thursday delivery.
That's another thing that I love about FMM. I feel like I am part of the FMM community. Not only does Trevor send emails about the contents of the weekly pick-ups, but he also sends out newsletters with recipes and hints on how to use the items in the bag. There are also FMM happy hours, farm tours, wine visits, and cooking and instructional classes. Anytime I have a problem, I go on the FMM Facebook page and post my problem or issue. Lots of fellow subscribers come to my aid and offer suggestions. It's also a good place to share recipes that we used with our week's haul.
Unlike other FFM bloggers, I do not take pictures of my FFM bag contents. Why? Because I am too focused on getting that fresh goodness in the fridge or freezer and I always think of it after we have eaten some things. I did make a huge effort to take this pictures from my Thursday pick-up a few weeks back.
I received beets with greens attached, bok choy, green lettuce, kohlrabi, tomatoes, kale (I think, I'm reciting this from memory), peaches, apricots, red onion, white onion, cucumbers, zucchini, pork shoulder, and Ohio City pasta made exclusively for FFM.
This is what I purchased at the truck to add to my order: eggs, yummy Ohio Maple syrup, and Pope's barbecue sauce that he makes exclusively for FFM.
As you can see, it's not difficult to come up with dinner for an entire week, if I could persuade my pregnant self to cook every night of the week. I made pulled pork sandwiches for my husband and a guest and after freezing the leftovers, we ate it two more times.
I hope this post conveys how thankful I am for FFM and all the time Trevor, Robert, and all the FFM crew put in to provide my and several hundred other families wonderful local food each week. They work in the rain, heat, and snow to pick up the food within a 75 mile radius of Cleveland and then stand out there at all the drop off locations for hours. If you have any interest in local food, I implore you to check out FFM. Fresh Fork Market has been one of the best decisions I have made to provide my family with better quality food while support our local economy. Thank you FFM.
A year and a half ago I joined my first CSA. If you do not know what a CSA is by now, you need to get with it! CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Food grown by local farmers. Winter 2010-2011, I signed up for an organic CSA that delivered one basket a month in the winter and once a week in the summer. I had to drive to a "somewhat" local farmer's market to pick up my fruits and vegetables. If I wanted eggs or meats, I had to purchase them extra. I bought eggs occasionally, which I loved. Unfortunately, I never bought meat because it wasn't available at the market. I would have to drive out to the farm over an hour away to pick it up. The winter baskets were fine because I received a lot of squashes, pumpkins, and root veggies that I could mash up for a young Little Dudo. However, I was extremely disappointed in the summer deliveries. I understand that it was a very wet spring last year (the extreme opposite of this year). Some weeks, I felt that I was wasting gas and my precious time driving to pick up my puny order. One pick-up in particular, I received one zucchini, a bunch of very wilted lettuce, an onion, a few potatoes, and one small head of garlic. The deliveries simply were not enough to cover my initial expense. I could have bought the same amount at the West Side Market for half the price! Fortunately other people complained because the next few weeks the baskets were bigger, but the veggies were still wilted. That CSA was a small operation and after a while I realized that they took on more subscribers than they could handle.
Not only that, they lacked customer service. I saw the same person every single week for almost a year and he did not once remember me. He didn't have to remember my name, but at least remember that I am one of your CSA subscribers. I missed my order one week and asked if I could drive out to the farm to pick it up. I was told to come on down. I packed Little Dudo in the car and we set out on this long, long drive. When I got to the farm, no one was home. We walked around looking at the chickens for 20 minutes until he finally rolled up. I was so angry. The very last straw came in the final weeks of the CSA. I drove to the farmer's market early with Little Dudo for my pick-up. I checked in and waited for him to assemble my basket. Then I was told I had to wait because he wanted to get the order for the guy who came after me...he had a larger order than I did. Here I am in 90 degree weather holding a baby and I had to take a back seat for an middle aged balding male. I knew at that point I would need another CSA. I was not going to give up on my quest for delicious, organic local food, I was just giving up on that CSA. I tell you this long winded story so you understand how very thankful I am for Fresh Fork Market.
I spoke to a former co-worker who is similar minded about his family's food. He said that he joined Fresh Fork Market and loved it. I immediately went to their website http://wp.freshforkmarket.com/ which had a ton of information about the program, how it started, some of the farmers and vendors they work with, and sample weekly deliveries. I could not believe what I read that they worked with farmers AND vendors. Not only would I be receiving fruits and vegetables, but also meats, cheeses, grains, eggs, syrup, and other special goodies rotated each week. I would hardly ever get the same foods weeks in a row, like the previous CSA. Not everything is organic, but their concern for sustainability and chemical pesticides made me want to join. It was winter time so I emailed and also called to see if I could be added on. A few days later, Trevor called me and said that I was in luck and could be added to the winter session. Trevor emailed me a few times to set up my online profile. I received emails the Tuesday before my bi-Thursday delivery, informing me of what I would expect to receive. Also, FFM has numerous pick-up locations on different days. If I could not make it to the one in my hometown, then I could go to a neighboring one on a different day. If I was on vacation, then I could roll over credit to another week. FFM isn't a CSA. They describe themselves as a "grocery subscription based on a CSA model." I like to think of it as a CSA on steroids.
Fresh Fork Market has far exceeded my expectations and I will never leave this company unless they close up shop. During the winter, the emphasis was on meats, cheeses, and other non-perishable staples. (FFM has vegetarian and vegan options as well.) I also received raspberries and corn frozen from the summer harvest and other veggies that were grown in greenhouses, which Dudo loved. I was so happy with the winter bags that I quickly paid upfront for the large weekly summer subscription. The few weeks wait between the end of winter and the first summer pick-up was torturous. Soon, the month of June approached and then we all received communications from Trevor about the upcoming summer FMM season.
In case you did not pick up from previous posts, we are adding a little chica to our happy family. So, I am not in the mood to go grocery shopping every week for our expanding broad. FMM to the rescue! With weekly pick-ups, I have lots of veggies, fruits, and plenty of proteins to cook delicious and nutritious meals for the fam. There are small packages or large packages for weekly summer pick-up. I opted for the large package. I have froze food to use over the winter and given some goodies away too. Every week is different. I am surprised that I am anxious to read my Tuesday email outlining what will be in my Thursday delivery.
That's another thing that I love about FMM. I feel like I am part of the FMM community. Not only does Trevor send emails about the contents of the weekly pick-ups, but he also sends out newsletters with recipes and hints on how to use the items in the bag. There are also FMM happy hours, farm tours, wine visits, and cooking and instructional classes. Anytime I have a problem, I go on the FMM Facebook page and post my problem or issue. Lots of fellow subscribers come to my aid and offer suggestions. It's also a good place to share recipes that we used with our week's haul.
Unlike other FFM bloggers, I do not take pictures of my FFM bag contents. Why? Because I am too focused on getting that fresh goodness in the fridge or freezer and I always think of it after we have eaten some things. I did make a huge effort to take this pictures from my Thursday pick-up a few weeks back.
This is what I purchased at the truck to add to my order: eggs, yummy Ohio Maple syrup, and Pope's barbecue sauce that he makes exclusively for FFM.
As you can see, it's not difficult to come up with dinner for an entire week, if I could persuade my pregnant self to cook every night of the week. I made pulled pork sandwiches for my husband and a guest and after freezing the leftovers, we ate it two more times.
I hope this post conveys how thankful I am for FFM and all the time Trevor, Robert, and all the FFM crew put in to provide my and several hundred other families wonderful local food each week. They work in the rain, heat, and snow to pick up the food within a 75 mile radius of Cleveland and then stand out there at all the drop off locations for hours. If you have any interest in local food, I implore you to check out FFM. Fresh Fork Market has been one of the best decisions I have made to provide my family with better quality food while support our local economy. Thank you FFM.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Jewel of Cleveland's west side: The West Side Market - Part I Produce
The jewel of Cleveland's west side!
I have been working on this post for quite some time (almost a year!) Not because I did not want to write about the West Side Market and give up my little secrets, but I knew this post would take so much time sifting through all my wonderful visits to decide what to share with all of you.
I love, love, love the West Side Market. http://www.westsidemarket.org/ It is located in the Ohio City area of Cleveland at the corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Ave. The market is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Parking is located in the back of the market for free or on the street. Upon arriving at the intersection, you cannot miss the 137 foot clock tower that stands at the front of the market.
There are two times of day that I prefer to shop at the Market...before work on Wednesday or Friday or a little after lunch on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. I do not go to the West Side Market on a Saturday. Well, I've gone there before on a Saturday, but I won't go willingly. It is a jam-packed zoo on Saturdays. Some people like that shopping experience...I don't. I prefer the early morning hours on Wednesday or Friday because there is a lot less people and the food that I want is available. Try going to one of the bakery stands at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, you won't get the bread you want because it was sold out hours prior. Also, each vendor decides whether to open or not. A few of my favorite stands are not open on Mondays. When I go a little after lunch, I usually buy a gyro for lunch. More on that later.
After parking in the back, you enter the hallway of fruit, vegetable, herbs, flowers, and other items. If this is your first time, spend some time looking at all the stalls of what is offered. Some have better looking produce than others. Also, the prices near the front may be a tad bit higher than in the back for certain items. Watch out for pushy vendors. Know what you want and stick to your guns. I have found a few vendors that I trust and will go to religiously. That is another key, find vendors that you can trust. Get recommendations from friends, co-workers, or the internet. Here is a trick that you MUST follow. Pick your own fruit and vegetables. A few times I have been burned when I trusted a vendor to give me 10 apples and when I got home, they put their bruised and rotting apples in my bag. For shame! Also, do not assume because this is a market, that the produce is organic. Most likely it is not. Ask the vendors or look for signs. There is also a vendor on the hallway to the right when you first walk in who tries to stock mainly organic items. Sometimes, vendors will deal too. All you have to do is ask. But, I never ask. I don't like to. I feel like I get a good deal as opposed to the chain supermarket anyway. All in all, I get great produce at a fraction of what it cost at the supermarket. Now for the vendors I trust, Bacha Produce, hands down. Love them. They are nice, considerate, and never give me poor quality items. For fruits, I mainly go to Calabrese Produce. I pick my own stuff though. They are closer to the front, but I have been burned by a few other vendors that I find myself going back to them. The organic, local stand is The Basketeria. http://www.thebasketeria.com/ I like them. Just because I gave my favorites, does not mean you cannot find others. Of course I have not tried all the vendors and I do shop at others that I did not list here. Heed the warnings and you'll have a great time in the produce section.
After going through the produce section, you may think that that is all there is. Why dear friend, that could not be farther from the truth. Head to one of the doors on the right hand side between vendor stands to enter the main Market.
Because of the amount of information, I'm splitting this post in two. I'll be posting about the inside of the Market soon.
I have been working on this post for quite some time (almost a year!) Not because I did not want to write about the West Side Market and give up my little secrets, but I knew this post would take so much time sifting through all my wonderful visits to decide what to share with all of you.
I love, love, love the West Side Market. http://www.westsidemarket.org/ It is located in the Ohio City area of Cleveland at the corner of West 25th Street and Lorain Ave. The market is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Parking is located in the back of the market for free or on the street. Upon arriving at the intersection, you cannot miss the 137 foot clock tower that stands at the front of the market.There are two times of day that I prefer to shop at the Market...before work on Wednesday or Friday or a little after lunch on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday. I do not go to the West Side Market on a Saturday. Well, I've gone there before on a Saturday, but I won't go willingly. It is a jam-packed zoo on Saturdays. Some people like that shopping experience...I don't. I prefer the early morning hours on Wednesday or Friday because there is a lot less people and the food that I want is available. Try going to one of the bakery stands at 3 p.m. on a Wednesday, you won't get the bread you want because it was sold out hours prior. Also, each vendor decides whether to open or not. A few of my favorite stands are not open on Mondays. When I go a little after lunch, I usually buy a gyro for lunch. More on that later.
After parking in the back, you enter the hallway of fruit, vegetable, herbs, flowers, and other items. If this is your first time, spend some time looking at all the stalls of what is offered. Some have better looking produce than others. Also, the prices near the front may be a tad bit higher than in the back for certain items. Watch out for pushy vendors. Know what you want and stick to your guns. I have found a few vendors that I trust and will go to religiously. That is another key, find vendors that you can trust. Get recommendations from friends, co-workers, or the internet. Here is a trick that you MUST follow. Pick your own fruit and vegetables. A few times I have been burned when I trusted a vendor to give me 10 apples and when I got home, they put their bruised and rotting apples in my bag. For shame! Also, do not assume because this is a market, that the produce is organic. Most likely it is not. Ask the vendors or look for signs. There is also a vendor on the hallway to the right when you first walk in who tries to stock mainly organic items. Sometimes, vendors will deal too. All you have to do is ask. But, I never ask. I don't like to. I feel like I get a good deal as opposed to the chain supermarket anyway. All in all, I get great produce at a fraction of what it cost at the supermarket. Now for the vendors I trust, Bacha Produce, hands down. Love them. They are nice, considerate, and never give me poor quality items. For fruits, I mainly go to Calabrese Produce. I pick my own stuff though. They are closer to the front, but I have been burned by a few other vendors that I find myself going back to them. The organic, local stand is The Basketeria. http://www.thebasketeria.com/ I like them. Just because I gave my favorites, does not mean you cannot find others. Of course I have not tried all the vendors and I do shop at others that I did not list here. Heed the warnings and you'll have a great time in the produce section. After going through the produce section, you may think that that is all there is. Why dear friend, that could not be farther from the truth. Head to one of the doors on the right hand side between vendor stands to enter the main Market.
Because of the amount of information, I'm splitting this post in two. I'll be posting about the inside of the Market soon.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Peace, Love, and Little Donuts in CLE
Peace, Love, and Little Donuts recently opened in the Kamm's Corner area of Westpark in Cleveland. Even though I am not a fan of cake, I do get happy when I am offered a yummy donut. Since I haven't been feeling myself for the last few weeks, I decided to stop and check out the donut shop that is located next to Sherwin-Williams. (By the way, we will only buy Sherwin-Williams, Cleveland's own, paint company.)
Even though "Little Donuts" is on the front of the building, I was not prepared for how small the donuts were. I think they are a good size, because I do not need a gigantic donut. There are three type of donuts you can order. The sugar kind: powder sugar, cinnamon sugar, etc. The frosted kind: maple, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, lemon, etc. And then they have frosted with toppings: I saw maple bacon, a chocolate caramel cheesecake, oreos, coconut, etc., etc., etc. There were a ton of different varieties. I chose to a sampler pack 6 donuts, 2 of each kind, for $5. I also ordered a small decaf coffee and a bottle of milk. The whole bill was $8.20 with tax. The coffee was delicious. I love decaf coffee. (I cut back to decaf years ago for health reasons.) This stuff was good. I may go back just for a cup of coffee some morning.
The donuts I chose were cinnamon sugar, traditional power, frosted maple, frosted strawberry, the maple bacon, and the chocolate caramel cheesecake. I brought them back to the office and asked Jackie Stripes to try them with me. He had the maple bacon, cinnamon sugar, and strawberry frosted. He loved each of them. Jackie really liked that the donuts had a crispy outside, but a soft inside. I had the cheesecake and maple frosted. To me, they were okay. The cheesecake one was bland and the maple frosted was maple frosted. I guess for the size and the fact that they are $1 a piece, I was expecting a little more. All in all, I will go back to Peace, Love, and Little Donuts. I may stop in and pick up a 6 pack for a friend or associate...but I will definitely go back for some coffee.
Even though "Little Donuts" is on the front of the building, I was not prepared for how small the donuts were. I think they are a good size, because I do not need a gigantic donut. There are three type of donuts you can order. The sugar kind: powder sugar, cinnamon sugar, etc. The frosted kind: maple, chocolate, strawberry, raspberry, lemon, etc. And then they have frosted with toppings: I saw maple bacon, a chocolate caramel cheesecake, oreos, coconut, etc., etc., etc. There were a ton of different varieties. I chose to a sampler pack 6 donuts, 2 of each kind, for $5. I also ordered a small decaf coffee and a bottle of milk. The whole bill was $8.20 with tax. The coffee was delicious. I love decaf coffee. (I cut back to decaf years ago for health reasons.) This stuff was good. I may go back just for a cup of coffee some morning.
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| Don't let this pic deceive you, the donuts are not huge. I am sitting in my car with it on my lap between me and the steering wheel. |
Monday, March 5, 2012
Prayers to Chardon
It has been a very difficult week here in Northeast Ohio. I am sure everyone has heard of the shooting tragedy in Chardon where a disturbed teenager walked into the Chardon High School cafeteria and opened fire on students. Five students were injured, and ultimately, three young teenage boys lost their lives: Danny Parmertor 16 years old, Demetrius Hewlin 16 years old, and Russell King, Jr. 17 years old. At this very early stage, prosecutors claim that this was done at random and the kids were not specifically targeted. This is the most frightening thought of all...if could have happened to anyone, at anytime.
I have been more frightened by this horrible, horrible tragedy than I thought I would be. First, I grew up not far from Chardon. For all intensive purposes, that school is very similar to my Alma mater. Before this, Chardon was known as a quiet town. When I thought of Chardon, I thought of apple farms, snow (because it is the place in CLE that seems to get the most snow), no street lights (it's more rural than suburban), and the cemetery where my mother is buried. Second, now that I have a child of my own, the reality that the Parmertor, Hewlin, and King families have to bury their children is nauseating. One day we are here and in a split second, the apple-of-your-eye child could be violently taken.
This incident has also shown me how powerful Facebook and other social media sites are. Someone I am friends with is also friends with one of those three boys who was killed. She reposted his family member's facebook post about the shooting before I had even heard the news via the News. So when the post came up that he passed away several hours later, the news was more devastating. Someone I knew lost a friend, for no reason. And because of Facebook, I was smack dab in the middle of the family and friends' grief. How will we, small city, Cleveland, Ohio move forward after losing our youth, innocence, and sense of security?
CLE is different. We may hate on our town, our sports teams, weather, and of course Lebron James, but when one is hurting, we all feel it. Immediately, through those same social media sites, groups and forums popped up to help those who survived in Chardon. It provided places for the students to grieve and feel loved. Red and black ribbons are being tied all over Northeast Ohio to show solidarity with Chardon. To let the families know that we are here for them, for whatever they need.
Danny Parmertor's funeral was held this passed Saturday. Days before the funeral, someone was tracking a very controversial "alleged Christian" group that protests and pickets high profile and military funerals to get their message of hate across. In fact, this "group" praises when tragedy strikes. I have absolutely no doubt that these people are sick. I am purposely not giving you their name or their message for two reasons: 1) I am not spreading their hate message and 2) that is exactly what they want, media attention. Anyway, as soon as the word got around on Facebook that this "group" planned to come to Cleveland to picket one of the boys' funerals, Cleveland sprung into action. Thousands of people from all over, came out on Saturday and formed a line around the church and down the street to block the grieving family and friends from having to see this disgusting display of human free will. Others who could not stay dropped off snacks, water, and blankets for those braving the cold weather. Fortunately, they did not show up. And hopefully, they will not show up on Tuesday or Thursday as the Hewlin and King families say goodbye to their loved ones. But the human barricade will be there as well. Here's an article from the News with footage: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/people-create-human-chain-oustide-chardon-school-shooting-funeral-to-stop-church-group-from-protest.
I have no idea where we will go from here. How will this tragedy change CLE and all of us? How will education and the safety of our children be altered? Only time will tell.
My deepest sympathies go out to the Parmertor, Hewlin, and King families along with the two students who survived and have a long road to recovery. We will stick together. We will get through this together. Prayers for Chardon.
I have been more frightened by this horrible, horrible tragedy than I thought I would be. First, I grew up not far from Chardon. For all intensive purposes, that school is very similar to my Alma mater. Before this, Chardon was known as a quiet town. When I thought of Chardon, I thought of apple farms, snow (because it is the place in CLE that seems to get the most snow), no street lights (it's more rural than suburban), and the cemetery where my mother is buried. Second, now that I have a child of my own, the reality that the Parmertor, Hewlin, and King families have to bury their children is nauseating. One day we are here and in a split second, the apple-of-your-eye child could be violently taken.
This incident has also shown me how powerful Facebook and other social media sites are. Someone I am friends with is also friends with one of those three boys who was killed. She reposted his family member's facebook post about the shooting before I had even heard the news via the News. So when the post came up that he passed away several hours later, the news was more devastating. Someone I knew lost a friend, for no reason. And because of Facebook, I was smack dab in the middle of the family and friends' grief. How will we, small city, Cleveland, Ohio move forward after losing our youth, innocence, and sense of security?
CLE is different. We may hate on our town, our sports teams, weather, and of course Lebron James, but when one is hurting, we all feel it. Immediately, through those same social media sites, groups and forums popped up to help those who survived in Chardon. It provided places for the students to grieve and feel loved. Red and black ribbons are being tied all over Northeast Ohio to show solidarity with Chardon. To let the families know that we are here for them, for whatever they need.
Danny Parmertor's funeral was held this passed Saturday. Days before the funeral, someone was tracking a very controversial "alleged Christian" group that protests and pickets high profile and military funerals to get their message of hate across. In fact, this "group" praises when tragedy strikes. I have absolutely no doubt that these people are sick. I am purposely not giving you their name or their message for two reasons: 1) I am not spreading their hate message and 2) that is exactly what they want, media attention. Anyway, as soon as the word got around on Facebook that this "group" planned to come to Cleveland to picket one of the boys' funerals, Cleveland sprung into action. Thousands of people from all over, came out on Saturday and formed a line around the church and down the street to block the grieving family and friends from having to see this disgusting display of human free will. Others who could not stay dropped off snacks, water, and blankets for those braving the cold weather. Fortunately, they did not show up. And hopefully, they will not show up on Tuesday or Thursday as the Hewlin and King families say goodbye to their loved ones. But the human barricade will be there as well. Here's an article from the News with footage: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/people-create-human-chain-oustide-chardon-school-shooting-funeral-to-stop-church-group-from-protest.
I have no idea where we will go from here. How will this tragedy change CLE and all of us? How will education and the safety of our children be altered? Only time will tell.
My deepest sympathies go out to the Parmertor, Hewlin, and King families along with the two students who survived and have a long road to recovery. We will stick together. We will get through this together. Prayers for Chardon.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Ragin Cajun Run - Downtown CLE
Yesterday was Mardi Gras...a.k.a. Fat Tuesday. I remember several years ago, a group of us went out after work to a bar to have a beer or two to salute our last day of chocolate, beer, pastries, or (insert what you are giving up for Lent here). Those years are well behind me now. However, I did find a fun way to celebrate Fat Tuesday: The Ragin Cajun Run. http://www.hermescleveland.com/roadracing/events/mardigras.asp
The kickball girls and I decided to run the Ragin Cajun Run which is a team event. We partnered up and met at the Blind Pig Bar on West 6th Street. The organizers let us out one group at a time and handed us a card with five pit-stops. We were free to run the streets, alleys, and grassy knolls of downtown Cleveland to get to each destination. First, we headed to the Free Stamp next to City Hall on Lakeside Ave. After we picked up some beads, we then ran to Pacer's Bar on East 12th Street that is attached to the Embassy Suites. There we received a toy trumpet to carry with us. On to the next destination of The Clevelander on East 9th Street where we had to wait in line for a Hurricane drink and glass. I took the glass sans drink. There is no requirement that you drink. I heard the drink tasted like cough syrup anyway. The last place before the finish line was the House of Blues. This was a fun location. I had never been in the House of Blues (which I will now make a better effort to stop at soon). We ran in through the side door, past all the people eating dinner, and to a room where one partner had to drink a 1/2 cup of beer and the other partner had to blow up an inflatable saxophone. Again, we tossed most of the beer. On to the home stretch, we ran straight through Public Square and parking lots back to the Blind Pig. Even though we did not come in first place, we had a fantastic time running through the streets of Cleveland. Here's our victory picture:
Not only are 5K plentiful in CLE, but I like that there is a variety that include scavenger hunts and different charities. We will probably do this again next year if we do not have any time conflicts. A 5K is a good way to get some exercise and see the City at night. And for you wieners that complain about safety, I felt completely safe at all times running through Cleveland. It's no different than any other city. We just have more complainers. Get out and run because you'll be see the VBB Girls again this running season.
The kickball girls and I decided to run the Ragin Cajun Run which is a team event. We partnered up and met at the Blind Pig Bar on West 6th Street. The organizers let us out one group at a time and handed us a card with five pit-stops. We were free to run the streets, alleys, and grassy knolls of downtown Cleveland to get to each destination. First, we headed to the Free Stamp next to City Hall on Lakeside Ave. After we picked up some beads, we then ran to Pacer's Bar on East 12th Street that is attached to the Embassy Suites. There we received a toy trumpet to carry with us. On to the next destination of The Clevelander on East 9th Street where we had to wait in line for a Hurricane drink and glass. I took the glass sans drink. There is no requirement that you drink. I heard the drink tasted like cough syrup anyway. The last place before the finish line was the House of Blues. This was a fun location. I had never been in the House of Blues (which I will now make a better effort to stop at soon). We ran in through the side door, past all the people eating dinner, and to a room where one partner had to drink a 1/2 cup of beer and the other partner had to blow up an inflatable saxophone. Again, we tossed most of the beer. On to the home stretch, we ran straight through Public Square and parking lots back to the Blind Pig. Even though we did not come in first place, we had a fantastic time running through the streets of Cleveland. Here's our victory picture:
Not only are 5K plentiful in CLE, but I like that there is a variety that include scavenger hunts and different charities. We will probably do this again next year if we do not have any time conflicts. A 5K is a good way to get some exercise and see the City at night. And for you wieners that complain about safety, I felt completely safe at all times running through Cleveland. It's no different than any other city. We just have more complainers. Get out and run because you'll be see the VBB Girls again this running season.
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Original Asian's Otani Japanese Restaurant
Several years ago I gave up sushi. I loved sushi...until that ill-fated day (emphasis on the "ill") when I had lunch at a popular, trendy sushi joint in downtown Cleveland. I took my left over salmon Philadelphia cream cheese rolls with me to the office. I ate them two hours later. By 8 p.m. that evening, I had never been so sick in all my life. This is coming from someone who partied pretty hard at good old UD and spent her share sleeping on the bathroom floor after nights of debauchery. No more, sushi. No more. I swore off the stuff for good.
Except if you have a good friend that owns and operates a Japanese restaurant that also serves delicious sushi. I actually tried to avoid sushi even as The Original Asian and I would have dinner at Otani's. Finally, one day The Original Asian made me try a new sushi concoction. I was scared. My palms were sweaty and my breathing was shallow. The thought of exactly 24 hours of barfness was at the forefront of my mind. But, The Original Asian is not just any acquaintance or so-so friend. As much pain and grief as I cause him, he is one of my favorite people on this planet and I would do just about anything for him. (Side Note: I will absolutely deny this to his face and tell him that obviously he cannot read because why would a bad Mo' Fo' such as myself ever admit that I care about someone other than Dudo. That pretty much sums up our friendship over the last 17 years... Really? We have been torturing each other on and off for about 17 years???) But...he also knows that if I do not like something or it sucks, I will tell it to his face. Criticism comes in many forms and ours usually comes as a stinging slap to the face and then the slapper buys the slappee a beer.
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| The Original Asian making sushi. All rights reserved JMB. |
Otani Japanese Restaurant is located at 1625 Golden Gate Plaza in Mayfield Heights. http://www.otanicleveland.com/%20 One side of the restaurant is hibachi with the cooktop tables and the chefs who cook your food right at the table with a show of flaming onion towers. You can also sit at the restaurant side with regular tables and a sushi bar. I opt for the sushi bar side even if I order the hibachi. I also had my birthday dinner there last year with my family. Not only do we get attentive service, but we all find something we like on the menu. My sister-in-law and I like the sushi. My dad and The Husband like hibachi. Everyone likes the beer and wine selections. It's the only place where we can all try Asian beers that we would never seek out and purchase otherwise. I also use The Original Asian's catering company for parties, such as my brother's wedding shower and Dudo's baptism. The food is affordable and not only is it excellent, but everyone raves about the food afterwards. They cannot believe that even though The Original Asian owns a Japanese Restaurant, the catered food is Italian, American, etc. You ask for it, Chef Yee can make it. I am a nut about the food that I serve at my parties and I have been known to miss my own party just to make sure the food is right. Using the catering company, I have an excellent party that everyone talks about without having to lift a finger in the food department.
Now sometimes people ask me about my friend, where I like to get sushi, or about one of The Original Asian's sushi or cocktail classes. So when the topic shifts to Otani's, I thoroughly enjoy people telling me that they already frequent Otani's or that they went for a special occasion and loved it. It makes me smile when almost all those people tell me how The Original Asian did something to make their dinner even better. The former intern Jackie Stripes still raves about his interaction with The Original Asian at Otani's even though it happened 6 years ago, well before Stripes and I ever met. The Original Asian makes you feel welcomed and part of the family when you dine at Otani.
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| Heinz and I at Otani's Halloween party 2009. All rights reserved JMB. |
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Crocker Park, The Family Destination
Before I realized that Crocker Park was much more than just a retail location, I shopped at the Gap, Dick's Sporting Goods, H&M, and my favorite store, Trader Joe's. Before Dudo came along, the Husband and I would go to movies and eat at Bruegger's Bagels (technically the Promenade, but it's close enough to all be one establishment.) Now Crocker Park has expanded and become a family destination.
Before our recent home purchase, we lived in an apartment. Yes, Me, the Husband, Dudo, and our dog Payton all lived in a 1100 sq ft. apartment on the west side of Cleveland. I wanted to try out the longer commute before committing to a permanent residence. The Husband and I lived in Westlake when I was in law school. Crocker Park was just being built when we lived there. Now, it is so much more than I ever could have imagined.
It started on the 4th of July. The Husband's wonderful aunt and uncle live in Westlake and invited us to watch the fireworks at Crocker Park. I instinctly parked the car at a building across the street and walked into the square. There were thousands of people packed in that square listening to the Orchestra before the fireworks. It was pretty neat to see all those people and to listen to patriotic music. Then, the fireworks started...right over our heads! They set off the display from the rooftop of the buildings. I grabbed Dudo and ran back out toward our car. We sat in the lawn watching the rest of the fireworks without incident. Dudo was a little freaked out though. How was I supposed to know that they would set off the fireworks right over my 1 year old's head? I'm sure he'll get over it next year. The fireworks were beautiful though.
Shops continually spring up in Crocker Park as well. Along with the few I previously listed, small boutiques like Marcell and Francesca's Collections moved in along with Ann Taylor Loft, Danny Vegh's, Apple, Learning Express Toys, Barnes and Noble, and tons others.
This summer, Dudo and I had to kill a few hours before the Husband came home. I took him to Crocker Park to walk around for a bit. To my surprise, I see a fountain with jumping water for children to play in. The sign said it was sponsored by Kalahari Water Park Resort. I let Dudo run around in the foutain and have some fun. Several other kids were permitted to get soaked right along with Dudo.
All rights reserved JMB 2012. Do not use without permission.
Crocker Park continues the fun year round with many events such as Casino Nights, Art Fests, a weekly farmer's market in the summer. Check the events section of http://www.crockerpark.com/. To learn more about the farmer's market that occurs from April to November, check out this link http://www.northunionfarmersmarket.org/markets/crocker.html. 
There's even an urban gardening program on a rooftop and they are looking for people to get involved.
I look forward to the many family gatherings, lunch, dinners, and of course super bargains I'll get at Crocker Park in the years to come.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
As 2011 comes to an end, 100 things I am thankful for
It is not an easy feat to come up with 100 things I am thankful for. Here's my list and they are NOT ranked in order:
1. Dudo
2. World wide distribution of Guinness
3. Gap jeans that make me look skinny
4. Fresh Fork Market
5. My Pontiac Vibe
6. Moell's Auto Repair
7. My cloche hat and a pair of sunglasses
8. My company on my late nights out
9. Online shopping
10. Baby Cheapskate on Facebook
11. Hinkai
12. The ocean
13. Cigars (specifically Cohibas)
14. Officer Whitehair
15. Mitchell's Ice Cream
16. Fall leaves and pumpkins
17. The Get-Go Station on my way to work
18. Bullet proof vests
19. Lou Malnati's The "Lou"
20. Otani's sushi
21. skirt suits
22. Trader Joe's
23. courage
24. Pearl Jam
25. WVIZ PBS
26. Lilly Handmade Chocolates
27. Best boss ever
28. Sunnyside pizza from Bar Cento
29. My brother Bryan and my sister-in-law Kandra
30. Upromise and Ohio 529 accounts
31. Christmas clearance sales
32. Finally buying a house
33. Dr. Brian and Gateway Animal Clinic
34. Malley's Chocolates
35. A good baby daddy ;-) and a good mate
36. retailmenot.com
37. Moving Ahead Solutions moving company (one of the best finds of the year!)
38. God
39. My guardian angel who I keep very busy
40. Southwest Airlines
41. Memories of Washington D.C. trips
42. West Side Market
43. Ergo baby carrier
44. My sissy
45. text messaging
46. Saigon Cafe on East 4th Street
47. Danny's Deli
48. Sharing buried feelings
49. Gino's Shoe Repair
50. Kohls' sales stacked with coupons
51. DV Christmas party
52. My high heel knee high boots in black and brown
53. Hartzler Family Dairy and Snowville Creamery
54. Dodge Charger rentals
55. Beabe cooker
56. covered attached parking
57. Clients who are respectful and appreciative
58. Bick, Flick, Rich, and a handful of caps
59. Data plan on my cell phone
60. My imagination
61. Yearly cookie and ornament exchange
62. Memories of my mom
63. Aunt Tina and Uncle Jim
64. Sherwin-Williams paint
65. My sarcastic nasty sense of humor
66. Long coffee breaks at the CC
67. Curious George
68. Rodes (for my freedom and for booze)
69. SouthLAnd
70. My bitchy attitude
71. Menage a Trois Merlot
72. Dudo's laugh when I tickle torture him
73. The Cleveland Indians
74. True Blood
75. League Park
76. baby resales
77. Elizabeth Videc Photographer
78. Jackie Stripes and his willingness to join me anytime I ask
79. That we are employed
80. Being a Scorpio
81. Adam, Judie, Jenn dinners
82. Baby Signing Time
83. ARF's Monster Mutt Dash
84. Payton dog
85. Candy Cane Joe Joe's
86. The truth (is there such a thing?)
87. Sonicare Toothbrush
88. SB 5 smackdown
89. Facebook to keep in contact with friends near and far
90. Community, the best comedy on TV
91. My ipod (and hopefully Apple sends my replacement soon)
92. Michael Symon
93. My colleagues on a long list of federal cases
94. Squeeze packets of baby food
95. Bittersweet Symphony
96. Sokolowski's
97. Kielbasi and sauerkraut
98. yellow mustard
99. Others' good judgment when I drink mine away
100. The pursuit to find what's missing
Happy New Year everyone! Make 2012 the best yet!
1. Dudo
2. World wide distribution of Guinness
3. Gap jeans that make me look skinny
4. Fresh Fork Market
5. My Pontiac Vibe
6. Moell's Auto Repair
7. My cloche hat and a pair of sunglasses
8. My company on my late nights out
9. Online shopping
10. Baby Cheapskate on Facebook
11. Hinkai
12. The ocean
13. Cigars (specifically Cohibas)
14. Officer Whitehair
15. Mitchell's Ice Cream
16. Fall leaves and pumpkins
17. The Get-Go Station on my way to work
18. Bullet proof vests
19. Lou Malnati's The "Lou"
20. Otani's sushi
21. skirt suits
22. Trader Joe's
23. courage
24. Pearl Jam
25. WVIZ PBS
26. Lilly Handmade Chocolates
27. Best boss ever
28. Sunnyside pizza from Bar Cento
29. My brother Bryan and my sister-in-law Kandra
30. Upromise and Ohio 529 accounts
31. Christmas clearance sales
32. Finally buying a house
33. Dr. Brian and Gateway Animal Clinic
34. Malley's Chocolates
35. A good baby daddy ;-) and a good mate
36. retailmenot.com
37. Moving Ahead Solutions moving company (one of the best finds of the year!)
38. God
39. My guardian angel who I keep very busy
40. Southwest Airlines
41. Memories of Washington D.C. trips
42. West Side Market
43. Ergo baby carrier
44. My sissy
45. text messaging
46. Saigon Cafe on East 4th Street
47. Danny's Deli
48. Sharing buried feelings
49. Gino's Shoe Repair
50. Kohls' sales stacked with coupons
51. DV Christmas party
52. My high heel knee high boots in black and brown
53. Hartzler Family Dairy and Snowville Creamery
54. Dodge Charger rentals
55. Beabe cooker
56. covered attached parking
57. Clients who are respectful and appreciative
58. Bick, Flick, Rich, and a handful of caps
59. Data plan on my cell phone
60. My imagination
61. Yearly cookie and ornament exchange
62. Memories of my mom
63. Aunt Tina and Uncle Jim
64. Sherwin-Williams paint
65. My sarcastic nasty sense of humor
66. Long coffee breaks at the CC
67. Curious George
68. Rodes (for my freedom and for booze)
69. SouthLAnd
70. My bitchy attitude
71. Menage a Trois Merlot
72. Dudo's laugh when I tickle torture him
73. The Cleveland Indians
74. True Blood
75. League Park
76. baby resales
77. Elizabeth Videc Photographer
78. Jackie Stripes and his willingness to join me anytime I ask
79. That we are employed
80. Being a Scorpio
81. Adam, Judie, Jenn dinners
82. Baby Signing Time
83. ARF's Monster Mutt Dash
84. Payton dog
85. Candy Cane Joe Joe's
86. The truth (is there such a thing?)
87. Sonicare Toothbrush
88. SB 5 smackdown
89. Facebook to keep in contact with friends near and far
90. Community, the best comedy on TV
91. My ipod (and hopefully Apple sends my replacement soon)
92. Michael Symon
93. My colleagues on a long list of federal cases
94. Squeeze packets of baby food
95. Bittersweet Symphony
96. Sokolowski's
97. Kielbasi and sauerkraut
98. yellow mustard
99. Others' good judgment when I drink mine away
100. The pursuit to find what's missing
Happy New Year everyone! Make 2012 the best yet!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Chocolate, Chocolate, Amazing Cleveland Chocolate
I LOVE chocolate. I cannot stress this enough. If you want to get me a present for any holiday, occasion, or just to say "thinking of you, thanking you, or just to say hi" then chocolate is the gift to give me. My intern, Jackie Stripes, took me to a little place called Lilly Handmade Chocolate in Tremont several months back. I am in love with chocolate all over again. I have been there several times, but I will tell you about one particular visit.
On Friday afternoon in celebration of Cleveland Beer Week, Jackie Stripes and I went to PUMPKIN A’ PALOOZA at Lilly Handmade Chocolates located at 761 Starkweather Ave. in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. Owners Amanda & Joshua Montague hand made four of their chocolate creations to pair with four pumpkin beers. The chocolates were phenomenal and the beers were great to taste side by side. As I have mentioned previously, I love pumpkin beer, but having the opportunity to sample them without slugging down a whole bottle is priceless. I did find my favorite pumpkin beer of the season at Lilly's: Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. Unfortunately, it was in short supply and I could not purchase an additional bottle to take home.
What? what? what? Do you ask? Yes, Lilly also sells different fine craft beers and wines. I try to stick with just chocolates since that's what makes my heart sing. But the combo of chocolates and alcoholic beverages makes a man's gift giving job a lot easier, don't you think?
Lilly Handmade Chocolates is amazing. Their little pieces of chocolates are a creation to see and taste. Each is a combination of a different shape, color, and pattern. Some of my favorites include: After Midnight (bitter stout and dark chocolate), Cinnabunny (Vietnamese cinnamon, ground ginger, clover honey, dark chocolate), and Shweetie Pie (vanilla bean butter caramel, roasted almonds, white chocolate). I am so glad I do not live in Tremont, because I would be there all the time. I plan to buy my mother-in-law a small sampler for Christmas...just so I can be justified buying one for myself!
All rights reserved JMB 2011. A small visual of JS's tie.
What? what? what? Do you ask? Yes, Lilly also sells different fine craft beers and wines. I try to stick with just chocolates since that's what makes my heart sing. But the combo of chocolates and alcoholic beverages makes a man's gift giving job a lot easier, don't you think?
All rights reserved JMB 2011.
Lilly Handmade Chocolates is amazing. Their little pieces of chocolates are a creation to see and taste. Each is a combination of a different shape, color, and pattern. Some of my favorites include: After Midnight (bitter stout and dark chocolate), Cinnabunny (Vietnamese cinnamon, ground ginger, clover honey, dark chocolate), and Shweetie Pie (vanilla bean butter caramel, roasted almonds, white chocolate). I am so glad I do not live in Tremont, because I would be there all the time. I plan to buy my mother-in-law a small sampler for Christmas...just so I can be justified buying one for myself!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Challenge Accepted! In search of the best soul food in CLE
Ah the powers of Facebook. Not only did a social media network bring the Original Asian and I back together after a four year hiatus, but Facebook is where I get my news AND new challenges. Yesterday I ate at Angie's Soul Cafe truck that was parked downtown near the Galleria on East 9th Street. Angie's Soul Cafe has a store front in three locations, but none are close enough to walk for lunch. www.angiessoulcafe.com/
The food is pretty good for coming out of a truck. Not too mention living in Cleveland does not yield that many soul food establishments. It nice to roll out of the building I work and get a decent smothered pork chop and greens for a reasonable price.
After lunch, I posted on Facebook that I am a soul food freak...which is completely true. The Husband and I plan our vacations according to where we can get good Southern cooking. So, we have pretty much vacationed in the south exclusively. Heck, I decided I am moving to Savannah, GA the week after I retire with or without my family.
Living here in CLE, the soul food we eat, I cook myself: shrimp and grits, greens, black eye peas, cornbread. Yesterday, a friend from high school asked me via Facebook where is my favorite place to get soul food in Cleveland. For a split second, I was going to answer her...but then I realized I couldn't. I do not have a favorite place to get soul food in Cleveland. I have not tried enough establishments to give a recommendation on the best soul food restaurant in my opinion. So, Christina, in the words of Barney Stinson: Challenge Accepted! Because I am putting the kolachky caper to rest, I will be actively seeking out the best soul food in Cleveland. Yum.
The food is pretty good for coming out of a truck. Not too mention living in Cleveland does not yield that many soul food establishments. It nice to roll out of the building I work and get a decent smothered pork chop and greens for a reasonable price.
After lunch, I posted on Facebook that I am a soul food freak...which is completely true. The Husband and I plan our vacations according to where we can get good Southern cooking. So, we have pretty much vacationed in the south exclusively. Heck, I decided I am moving to Savannah, GA the week after I retire with or without my family.
Living here in CLE, the soul food we eat, I cook myself: shrimp and grits, greens, black eye peas, cornbread. Yesterday, a friend from high school asked me via Facebook where is my favorite place to get soul food in Cleveland. For a split second, I was going to answer her...but then I realized I couldn't. I do not have a favorite place to get soul food in Cleveland. I have not tried enough establishments to give a recommendation on the best soul food restaurant in my opinion. So, Christina, in the words of Barney Stinson: Challenge Accepted! Because I am putting the kolachky caper to rest, I will be actively seeking out the best soul food in Cleveland. Yum.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
The (Almost) Perfect Kolachki has been Found!
If you have been reading from the beginning, you would know I have been on a quest for the perfect kolachki. I remember a huge tray my Croatian grandmother bought every Easter and Christmas from a bakery somewhere in the Vine Street area on the eastside of Cleveland. She has passed and my brother and I are sure the baker is no longer in business. I went out in search of a kolachki that was as similar in taste and appearance as I could find.
I am forever grateful to Officer Whitehair for finding the perfect tasting kolachkis that were sitting right under my nose since May. (I am also eternally grateful for his friendship, advice, and guidance, but that is a little overkill for a post about the (almost) perfect kolachki.)
And the honor goes to...Drum roll please....Baker Rhea. http://www.bakerrhea.com/ (She spells it Kolacky.)
This summer I belonged to a CSA, Community Share Agriculture. Every Saturday I drove to the Frostville Museum Farmer's Market in North Olmsted to pick up my share of fruits and veggies for the week. http://www.olmstedhistoricalsociety.org/Farmers_Market.html I would pass other vendors and sometimes purchase a new loose leaf tea or can of pickles to try. One weekend this summer the family and I went to visit my in-laws and I could not make it to pick up our crop share. Officer Whitehair graciously agreed to pick up my fruits and veggies.
A few days later, I stopped in to see Officer Whitehair and pick up my veggies. He hands me a second bag that contains a small tin pie pan. I look at it and it contains a batch of small kolachkis. He told me that he saw them at one of the stands and he thinks I should try them. At first I was skeptical. They are smaller than the perfect kolachkis that are burned into my memory. The pastry also appeared darker in color. But then I tasted them. They are near perfect! Every filling is delicious, not too sweet. The pastry is crispy as opposed to doughy and not too flaky. I love them. I ate the entire pie pan before I pulled the car in the garage. I have since bought several batches of kolachkis from her. She even made an all nut kolachki pie tin, my favorite. My brother approves of Baker Rhea's kolachkis as well. I hate to admit this, but since the CSA is now over, I purchased a few tins and put them in the freezer for when a kolachki craving attacks.
Because of this wonderful find, I decided to venture to another stand with baked goods, Two Chicks that Bake. They bake out of their Grafton, Ohio home and sell only at Farmer's Markets. Currently, Two Chicks that Bake do not have a website or Facebook page. They make cookies, bars, and scones (so no kolachki competition here). I am absolutely in love with their bakery. They use ingredients that are available during the season. For example, early in the growing season, they made blueberry lemon scones, which were out of this world. Last week I purchased pumpkin drop cookies, a pecan bar, a pumpkin scone, and an apple cinnamon scone. I cannot wait to go back this weekend to get more for the freezer. Dudo and I like to share a scone for breakfast one day a week. I HIGHLY recommend their scones and cookies.
This is what I like about Cleveland. Small local bakers that sell at Farmer's Markets are surpassing the bigger competition. When you find something you love, you hang on to it. Well, Baker Rhea and Two Chicks that Bake, I intend to hang on to you.
I am forever grateful to Officer Whitehair for finding the perfect tasting kolachkis that were sitting right under my nose since May. (I am also eternally grateful for his friendship, advice, and guidance, but that is a little overkill for a post about the (almost) perfect kolachki.)
And the honor goes to...Drum roll please....Baker Rhea. http://www.bakerrhea.com/ (She spells it Kolacky.)
This summer I belonged to a CSA, Community Share Agriculture. Every Saturday I drove to the Frostville Museum Farmer's Market in North Olmsted to pick up my share of fruits and veggies for the week. http://www.olmstedhistoricalsociety.org/Farmers_Market.html I would pass other vendors and sometimes purchase a new loose leaf tea or can of pickles to try. One weekend this summer the family and I went to visit my in-laws and I could not make it to pick up our crop share. Officer Whitehair graciously agreed to pick up my fruits and veggies.
A few days later, I stopped in to see Officer Whitehair and pick up my veggies. He hands me a second bag that contains a small tin pie pan. I look at it and it contains a batch of small kolachkis. He told me that he saw them at one of the stands and he thinks I should try them. At first I was skeptical. They are smaller than the perfect kolachkis that are burned into my memory. The pastry also appeared darker in color. But then I tasted them. They are near perfect! Every filling is delicious, not too sweet. The pastry is crispy as opposed to doughy and not too flaky. I love them. I ate the entire pie pan before I pulled the car in the garage. I have since bought several batches of kolachkis from her. She even made an all nut kolachki pie tin, my favorite. My brother approves of Baker Rhea's kolachkis as well. I hate to admit this, but since the CSA is now over, I purchased a few tins and put them in the freezer for when a kolachki craving attacks.
Because of this wonderful find, I decided to venture to another stand with baked goods, Two Chicks that Bake. They bake out of their Grafton, Ohio home and sell only at Farmer's Markets. Currently, Two Chicks that Bake do not have a website or Facebook page. They make cookies, bars, and scones (so no kolachki competition here). I am absolutely in love with their bakery. They use ingredients that are available during the season. For example, early in the growing season, they made blueberry lemon scones, which were out of this world. Last week I purchased pumpkin drop cookies, a pecan bar, a pumpkin scone, and an apple cinnamon scone. I cannot wait to go back this weekend to get more for the freezer. Dudo and I like to share a scone for breakfast one day a week. I HIGHLY recommend their scones and cookies.
This is what I like about Cleveland. Small local bakers that sell at Farmer's Markets are surpassing the bigger competition. When you find something you love, you hang on to it. Well, Baker Rhea and Two Chicks that Bake, I intend to hang on to you.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Bang Bang goes the Gun
Everyone needs to relieve stress from one time to another. Some people exercise by running or riding bikes in the Metroparks or tip a few back at a local watering hole. I enjoy doing those things as well. Sometimes though, I like my stress busting time to also leave me with a sense of empowerment. That is where the gun comes in. The activity that fits the bill is going to a shooting range. Let me explain how a scared Dem ended up with a .45 in her hands.
In my previous professional life, my company included those that carry around guns for a living...a.k.a. police officers. Well, one day an officer stood very close to me to show me something on my computer screen. I broke out into a cold sweat just because his service revolver, which was in his holster, was within arms' length of me. Right then and there I knew I had to remedy the situation. I asked a colleague whom I knew to own a gun to take me shooting. On a warm fall afternoon, we traveled down I-77 to Route 82 and into Stonewall Ltd. Gun Shop & Pistol Range. http://www.stonewallrange.com/
Upon entering, there are weapons in every nook and cranny of the gun shop portion. You walk up to the counter and you can rent a stall to shoot by the hour. You can also rent everything you need including a weapon, ear, and eye protection. If you need targets or ammunition those are available for purchase too.
Of course I like to bring my own eye and ear protection. Germs...yuck. Once assigned to a stall, you put on your eye and ear protection, go in, put up your target, inspect your weapon, load your magazines, and have at it. My co-worker is an experienced gun owner. He would only let me shoot using his gun, you guessed it, a .45. I hated it. I am not petite, but I am by no means big enough to handle that gun. After that, I decided a call to Officer Whitehair was in order. Not only is he good about finding klochkies, but also weapon safety.
The thing I like about Stonewall is the staff. If you want to come in, rent a stall, shoot, and check out all while being left alone, they will not engage you in unwanted prate. However, if you have any questions at all, the staff is very knowledgeable and willing to help. I once was waiting to check out and overheard the discussion with a couple in front of me. They wanted to rent a gun and purchase ammunition to shoot. There was something strange about this couple. The staff member told both of them if they could properly pick up the weapon, load it with an empty clip, and remove the clip, then they could rent the gun. From the way the gun was pointing when she picked up the gun, it was evident that they had no idea what the heck they were doing. The clerk told them until they could properly handle a weapon, they were not permitted to rent from the store. This is exactly the type of place I am glad to patronize. I feel safer knowing that they care as much as I do about safety.
Since then, Officer Whitehair has given me proper instruction and the Original Asian and I went to relieve some stress, laugh, and throw back a pint at an HB establishment afterward.
The Original Asian 2011 All rights reserved. Cannot use without express consent from JBM.I now feel comfortable with a gun. I have a line of spent casings in my office. One for each time I blow off some steam at the range. There is something so liberating about aiming at a target and finding out that you may have hit it once out of five. I jest, of course. Ok, no, not really.
Now if you would like to check it out, by all means, please do. I think everyone should learn how to handle a weapon. I do not believe everyone should have a gun, but that's a political debate not ripe for this blog. But please find someone who can give you proper instruction. Not knowing what you are doing puts you and everyone else at the range in jeopardy.
In my previous professional life, my company included those that carry around guns for a living...a.k.a. police officers. Well, one day an officer stood very close to me to show me something on my computer screen. I broke out into a cold sweat just because his service revolver, which was in his holster, was within arms' length of me. Right then and there I knew I had to remedy the situation. I asked a colleague whom I knew to own a gun to take me shooting. On a warm fall afternoon, we traveled down I-77 to Route 82 and into Stonewall Ltd. Gun Shop & Pistol Range. http://www.stonewallrange.com/
Upon entering, there are weapons in every nook and cranny of the gun shop portion. You walk up to the counter and you can rent a stall to shoot by the hour. You can also rent everything you need including a weapon, ear, and eye protection. If you need targets or ammunition those are available for purchase too.
Of course I like to bring my own eye and ear protection. Germs...yuck. Once assigned to a stall, you put on your eye and ear protection, go in, put up your target, inspect your weapon, load your magazines, and have at it. My co-worker is an experienced gun owner. He would only let me shoot using his gun, you guessed it, a .45. I hated it. I am not petite, but I am by no means big enough to handle that gun. After that, I decided a call to Officer Whitehair was in order. Not only is he good about finding klochkies, but also weapon safety.
The thing I like about Stonewall is the staff. If you want to come in, rent a stall, shoot, and check out all while being left alone, they will not engage you in unwanted prate. However, if you have any questions at all, the staff is very knowledgeable and willing to help. I once was waiting to check out and overheard the discussion with a couple in front of me. They wanted to rent a gun and purchase ammunition to shoot. There was something strange about this couple. The staff member told both of them if they could properly pick up the weapon, load it with an empty clip, and remove the clip, then they could rent the gun. From the way the gun was pointing when she picked up the gun, it was evident that they had no idea what the heck they were doing. The clerk told them until they could properly handle a weapon, they were not permitted to rent from the store. This is exactly the type of place I am glad to patronize. I feel safer knowing that they care as much as I do about safety.
Since then, Officer Whitehair has given me proper instruction and the Original Asian and I went to relieve some stress, laugh, and throw back a pint at an HB establishment afterward.
The Original Asian 2011 All rights reserved. Cannot use without express consent from JBM.Now if you would like to check it out, by all means, please do. I think everyone should learn how to handle a weapon. I do not believe everyone should have a gun, but that's a political debate not ripe for this blog. But please find someone who can give you proper instruction. Not knowing what you are doing puts you and everyone else at the range in jeopardy.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
CLEVELAND BEER WEEK!!!! A celebration of craft brews
Two things that I like very much combined and celebrated in the same week? That's Cleveland Beer Week 2011 which is slated to begin October 14 through October 22.
http://www.clevelandbeerweek.org/
This is the third annual event that begins in less than two weeks. I was on board right from the very first year...except so was Dudo. I found out only mere weeks before that I could not join Cleveland Beer Week 2009. Ah well, now that Dudo is here, it is time to enjoy the festivities!
I am a stout and porter type of girl. I also enjoy ambers and the occasional lager or ale. IPAs? You can keep them. I am not one for hoppy beers. How did this girl who was raised by non-drinkers come to enjoy dark robust flavors? It happened in two steps: First, I went to the University of Dayton. There I learned to drink. I drank Beast Light. And sometimes Beast or Beast Heavy or Beast Red depending on how the night had progressed. It was quite a step up when my two friends and former roommates, Linda, Linda, and I ordered three kegs of different Leinenkugel beers for our joint graduation party. After graduation, I made my way back to Cleveland for three torturous years of law school. I actually gave up drinking my first year of law school. I wasted a perfectly good year of drinking and according to my law school transcripts, I have nothing to show for it!
The second step occurred when my two law school friends, Lynda and Dar, invited to me to hang at the Winking Lizard on Huron with them. The Winking Lizard is the mecca where I learned about beer. How fortunate are we to have Winking Lizards all around the Cleveland area?
http://winkinglizard.com/
Not only is the food not to shabby, but anyone can learn about beer. I enrolled in the The World Tour. My friends and I shared beers and everyone helped buy them off my list. By the end, I realized that all I wanted were the porters and stouts. I did not finish the tour because back then, you had to drink every beer from the list and there was no way I was going to waste my stretched-already-too-thin law school budget on IPAs. Years later, I celebrated my 30th Birthday at the Winking Lizard Lakewood with friends, fam, and some really drunk co-workers. These days we go there for some dinner, beers, and the many football games broadcast on their TVs. I understand that the Lizard has revamped the Tour so you can complete the tour drinking beers more to your preferences. If you have not visited your local Winking Lizard, I suggest that you do.
Anyway, back to Cleveland Beer Week! (By the way, the Winking Lizard participates in Cleveland Beer Week, of course.) There are so many events for Cleveland Beer Week, there is no way one person could ever attend them all. There is an opening dinner, beer pairings, beer tastings, beer brunches, etc, etc, etc. You can find the Cleveland Beer Week catalog here: http://www.clevelandbeerweek.org/calendar/calendar.aspx
The catalog is great because you can search by date, or neighborhood, or even preferred breweries. Some events require advance ticket purchase such as the Grains vs. Grapes: The Ultimate Matchup at the Crowne Plaza or advance reservations for Founder's is Food at Lilly Handmade Chocolates in Tremont. Other events include tastings at local Heinen's (Yay to them for participating!) and special kegs of brew tapped at your favorite eateries. Lots of establishments are participating! I'll be heading to B-Spot Crocker Park on one particular evening. There really is something for everyone during Cleveland Beer Week.
Our wedding anniversary fortunately coincides with Beer Week and I decide to plan our celebration. The Husband and I will relive our pub crawl college days with the more adult Liquid Beer Hunt beginning at the Winking Lizard Lakewood. I cannot think of a more appropriate celebration for the two of us.
What is the best part of Cleveland Beer Week? Not only can you learn about some new beers and some old favorites from brew masters and others, but you can sample the delicious foods that Cleveland offers at our awesome restaurants. If you think I am going to Dogfish Head on the Southside at Southside, 2207 West 11th Street, Cleveland, OH 44113 in Tremont without having their chicken and waffles, you obviously do not know me. Come on out and celebrate with me Cleveland!
***I feel compelled maybe because of my first job, or maybe because I worry too much, but please enjoy Cleveland Beer Week responsibly. Have a designated driver or call a cab. As the title of this blog suggests, Life is Too Short, so don't cut yours or someone else's short because you drove drunk. Public Service Announcement concluded.
http://www.clevelandbeerweek.org/
This is the third annual event that begins in less than two weeks. I was on board right from the very first year...except so was Dudo. I found out only mere weeks before that I could not join Cleveland Beer Week 2009. Ah well, now that Dudo is here, it is time to enjoy the festivities!
I am a stout and porter type of girl. I also enjoy ambers and the occasional lager or ale. IPAs? You can keep them. I am not one for hoppy beers. How did this girl who was raised by non-drinkers come to enjoy dark robust flavors? It happened in two steps: First, I went to the University of Dayton. There I learned to drink. I drank Beast Light. And sometimes Beast or Beast Heavy or Beast Red depending on how the night had progressed. It was quite a step up when my two friends and former roommates, Linda, Linda, and I ordered three kegs of different Leinenkugel beers for our joint graduation party. After graduation, I made my way back to Cleveland for three torturous years of law school. I actually gave up drinking my first year of law school. I wasted a perfectly good year of drinking and according to my law school transcripts, I have nothing to show for it!
The second step occurred when my two law school friends, Lynda and Dar, invited to me to hang at the Winking Lizard on Huron with them. The Winking Lizard is the mecca where I learned about beer. How fortunate are we to have Winking Lizards all around the Cleveland area?
http://winkinglizard.com/
Not only is the food not to shabby, but anyone can learn about beer. I enrolled in the The World Tour. My friends and I shared beers and everyone helped buy them off my list. By the end, I realized that all I wanted were the porters and stouts. I did not finish the tour because back then, you had to drink every beer from the list and there was no way I was going to waste my stretched-already-too-thin law school budget on IPAs. Years later, I celebrated my 30th Birthday at the Winking Lizard Lakewood with friends, fam, and some really drunk co-workers. These days we go there for some dinner, beers, and the many football games broadcast on their TVs. I understand that the Lizard has revamped the Tour so you can complete the tour drinking beers more to your preferences. If you have not visited your local Winking Lizard, I suggest that you do.
Anyway, back to Cleveland Beer Week! (By the way, the Winking Lizard participates in Cleveland Beer Week, of course.) There are so many events for Cleveland Beer Week, there is no way one person could ever attend them all. There is an opening dinner, beer pairings, beer tastings, beer brunches, etc, etc, etc. You can find the Cleveland Beer Week catalog here: http://www.clevelandbeerweek.org/calendar/calendar.aspx
The catalog is great because you can search by date, or neighborhood, or even preferred breweries. Some events require advance ticket purchase such as the Grains vs. Grapes: The Ultimate Matchup at the Crowne Plaza or advance reservations for Founder's is Food at Lilly Handmade Chocolates in Tremont. Other events include tastings at local Heinen's (Yay to them for participating!) and special kegs of brew tapped at your favorite eateries. Lots of establishments are participating! I'll be heading to B-Spot Crocker Park on one particular evening. There really is something for everyone during Cleveland Beer Week.
Our wedding anniversary fortunately coincides with Beer Week and I decide to plan our celebration. The Husband and I will relive our pub crawl college days with the more adult Liquid Beer Hunt beginning at the Winking Lizard Lakewood. I cannot think of a more appropriate celebration for the two of us.
What is the best part of Cleveland Beer Week? Not only can you learn about some new beers and some old favorites from brew masters and others, but you can sample the delicious foods that Cleveland offers at our awesome restaurants. If you think I am going to Dogfish Head on the Southside at Southside, 2207 West 11th Street, Cleveland, OH 44113 in Tremont without having their chicken and waffles, you obviously do not know me. Come on out and celebrate with me Cleveland!
***I feel compelled maybe because of my first job, or maybe because I worry too much, but please enjoy Cleveland Beer Week responsibly. Have a designated driver or call a cab. As the title of this blog suggests, Life is Too Short, so don't cut yours or someone else's short because you drove drunk. Public Service Announcement concluded.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
It's been a while...and we all scream for ice cream
I cannot believe my last post was in June. Boy does time fly when you're having fun. I have found a few new places and visited some old ones too. Today is the first day of autumn...my favorite season here in CLE. There's the cooler weather, the high school football games complete with the marching bands, and the beautiful fall leaves. I can't forget warm cider, local orchard apples, and Browns football games. One of my favorite parts of autumn is pumpkin beer. I love tasting all the different breweries and picking my coveted beer of the season only to selectively forget and start again next fall.
Something I absolutely love any time of the year is ice cream. My favorite ice cream in Cleveland is Mitchell's Homemade.
http://www.mitchellshomemade.com/
Two brothers, Pete and Mike, started the company in Rocky River and they have additional locations in Westlake, Solon, and Beachwood. I read on facebook that they recently purchased the old abandoned Moda night club on West 25th in the Ohio City area and will turn that into another retail location and their kitchen. While some businesses move out of Cleveland, others like Mitchell's are moving in.
They make their own flavors and some of them they use local ingredients when available like Lake Erie Creamery goat cheese, strawberries, etc. Speaking of Lake Erie Creamery, if you haven't tried their goat cheese, you must. I love it. I could eat it plain. The cheese is smooth, creamy, and never dried out. Believe it or not people, but Lake Erie Creamery makes and delivers their own cheese right from CLE. They are located at 3167 Fulton Rd. in Cleveland. Because I am the only goat cheese lover in my house, I order a little bit from a vendor at the Westside Market. Unbelievable goat cheese.
http://www.lakeeriecreamery.com/
I digress. The ice cream flavor I like the best is the Mint Chocolate Chunk. It is natural mint with huge chunks of chocolate. I also like banana cream pie, key lime pie, chocolate peanut butter pretzel yogurt, coffee chocolate chunk, and strawberry. When my husband used to travel, I would have ice cream dinners. He doesn't travel very often these days, which is good for the family and good for my waistline.
Here's a picture of Dudo having his first taste of Mitchell's ice cream with his Aunt. Being a banana lover, he had the banana cream pie. copyright JBM. Do not use without express permission.
HOLY MOSES...I mean SWEET MOSES.
I also had the wonderful pleasure of having an ice cream lunch this summer. My intern, Jackie Stripes, took me to Sweet Moses Soda Fountain & Ice Cream Shop. It's located at 6800 Detroit Ave. in the revitalized Gordon Square Art District area of Cleveland. http://www.sweetmosestreats.com/ The inside of the ice cream parlor reminds me of the stories my Grandma used to tell me. I bet if she was still here, she would say it looks pretty darn close.
My picture does not do the place justice! As you can see from the picture to the right, I ordered the Shoreway Sundae made with one scoop of coffee, I substituted another with the Belgium Chocolate, hot fudge, toffee pieces, nuts, whipped cream. It was heavenly. I will definately come back for another taste. Everyone who has gone there loves it. Maybe if I wasn't so infactuated with Mitchell's, I would go there more often.
Something I absolutely love any time of the year is ice cream. My favorite ice cream in Cleveland is Mitchell's Homemade.
http://www.mitchellshomemade.com/
Two brothers, Pete and Mike, started the company in Rocky River and they have additional locations in Westlake, Solon, and Beachwood. I read on facebook that they recently purchased the old abandoned Moda night club on West 25th in the Ohio City area and will turn that into another retail location and their kitchen. While some businesses move out of Cleveland, others like Mitchell's are moving in.
They make their own flavors and some of them they use local ingredients when available like Lake Erie Creamery goat cheese, strawberries, etc. Speaking of Lake Erie Creamery, if you haven't tried their goat cheese, you must. I love it. I could eat it plain. The cheese is smooth, creamy, and never dried out. Believe it or not people, but Lake Erie Creamery makes and delivers their own cheese right from CLE. They are located at 3167 Fulton Rd. in Cleveland. Because I am the only goat cheese lover in my house, I order a little bit from a vendor at the Westside Market. Unbelievable goat cheese.
http://www.lakeeriecreamery.com/
I digress. The ice cream flavor I like the best is the Mint Chocolate Chunk. It is natural mint with huge chunks of chocolate. I also like banana cream pie, key lime pie, chocolate peanut butter pretzel yogurt, coffee chocolate chunk, and strawberry. When my husband used to travel, I would have ice cream dinners. He doesn't travel very often these days, which is good for the family and good for my waistline.
HOLY MOSES...I mean SWEET MOSES.
I also had the wonderful pleasure of having an ice cream lunch this summer. My intern, Jackie Stripes, took me to Sweet Moses Soda Fountain & Ice Cream Shop. It's located at 6800 Detroit Ave. in the revitalized Gordon Square Art District area of Cleveland. http://www.sweetmosestreats.com/ The inside of the ice cream parlor reminds me of the stories my Grandma used to tell me. I bet if she was still here, she would say it looks pretty darn close.
My picture does not do the place justice! As you can see from the picture to the right, I ordered the Shoreway Sundae made with one scoop of coffee, I substituted another with the Belgium Chocolate, hot fudge, toffee pieces, nuts, whipped cream. It was heavenly. I will definately come back for another taste. Everyone who has gone there loves it. Maybe if I wasn't so infactuated with Mitchell's, I would go there more often.
Friday, June 10, 2011
I'm not the only person having crazy adventures in Cleveland
Several weeks ago, the stupid newspaper in Cleveland ran a story about a blogger who formerly loved Cleveland, but has since moved part time to LA and has created a blog about how much he hates Cleveland. It's ironic since the article I read stated his wife still lives here and loves Cleveland. This is exactly why I created this blog. Here we have a Cleveland hater who does nothing to help the situation. Complain about the politically leadership? Well, do something about it! Get out and vote, sway other voters, help on a campaign. My other source of angst is the newspaper itself. Why is the focus to always put down Cleveland? Do you feel you get more readers when you dog the City and promote laissez faire individuals who hate the City? My goal, no lie, is to make a competitive news media outlet for Cleveland. How that goal will be achieved. I have no idea...yet.
Anyway, through the amazing powers of Facebook, a friend of mine posted a link I want to share. This person is drawing 100 drawings of Cleveland and puts a short little blurb under each picture. Here's the website http://juliaincleveland.tumblr.com/ You can also purchase a print of any of the drawings on Etsy. I found the website fascinating and I really appreciated someone else's positive outlook of Cleveland.
Anyway, through the amazing powers of Facebook, a friend of mine posted a link I want to share. This person is drawing 100 drawings of Cleveland and puts a short little blurb under each picture. Here's the website http://juliaincleveland.tumblr.com/ You can also purchase a print of any of the drawings on Etsy. I found the website fascinating and I really appreciated someone else's positive outlook of Cleveland.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Super Popular Mom n' Pop Diner/Deli...Joe's Deli, of course!
I again apologize, but I had another trial that took all of my strength, energy, and attention. I am not exaggerating when I say all my strength and energy. I ended up with a horrendous sinus infection a week and a half before the trial. Preparing for the trial that week was misery to say the least. So, one day before work, I stopped at one of the best Delis/Diners in Cleveland...Joe's Deli on the corner of Wooster and Hilliard.
19215 Hilliard Blvd., Rocky River, OH
Why did I stop at a diner before work when I was so sick that I was barely able to pull myself out of bed and dress myself? Because of the healing powers of Joe's Deli's matzo ball soup and giant chocolate chip cookies.
I was introduced to Joe's Deli by a police officer friend of mine. (On an aside, I was introduced to some of my favorite places by police officers. They eat out all the time while working. They know where to go and where to avoid. Ask a police officer for a suggestion, you might be pleasantly surprised.) The restaurant looks old and a little dated. However, there were people waiting everywhere for a table. We waited about 30 minutes before sitting. The waiting area is right in front of a display case that houses the most delicious deserts you have ever seen.
I ordered the latkes and corned beef. The potato pancakes were large and the corned beef was moist, delicious, and lean. I took over half home which I used the next morning as corned beef hash. Yum. There is almost always a wait to sit at Joe's. Everyone eats there, the young and the old. Now, my husband and I always order the corned beef sandwich and a quart of the matzo ball soup to go. The food is always ready on time.
Back to my horrendous day. I walked into Joe's Deli looking like death warmed over. I ordered a quart of the matzo ball soup and the chocolate chip cookie. Here's my breakfast/lunch at my desk. Remember, that is a quart of soup. The cookie is larger than it appears. =) It is crispy and buttery with the right amount of chocolate chips. I ate the entire thing and I was able to make it through the day.
I have eaten other things from Joe's: sandwiches, other soups, salads. However, I am a creature of habit. Once I found my trifecta: corned beef, matzo ball soup, and the chocolate chip cookie, I refuse to deviate from these comfort foods. Every person I have told about Joe's Deli complains about the wait, but absolutely loves the food. Fortunately, the owners Joe and Jeanette are building a new building on the other side of the parking lot which will accommodate more people at once. I, and many others, are so very happy that they decided to remain open for business while construction occurs. There may be less parking, but there's more than enough delicious home cooking to go around. Check it out, you will not be sorry.
Why did I stop at a diner before work when I was so sick that I was barely able to pull myself out of bed and dress myself? Because of the healing powers of Joe's Deli's matzo ball soup and giant chocolate chip cookies.
I was introduced to Joe's Deli by a police officer friend of mine. (On an aside, I was introduced to some of my favorite places by police officers. They eat out all the time while working. They know where to go and where to avoid. Ask a police officer for a suggestion, you might be pleasantly surprised.) The restaurant looks old and a little dated. However, there were people waiting everywhere for a table. We waited about 30 minutes before sitting. The waiting area is right in front of a display case that houses the most delicious deserts you have ever seen.
I ordered the latkes and corned beef. The potato pancakes were large and the corned beef was moist, delicious, and lean. I took over half home which I used the next morning as corned beef hash. Yum. There is almost always a wait to sit at Joe's. Everyone eats there, the young and the old. Now, my husband and I always order the corned beef sandwich and a quart of the matzo ball soup to go. The food is always ready on time.
Back to my horrendous day. I walked into Joe's Deli looking like death warmed over. I ordered a quart of the matzo ball soup and the chocolate chip cookie. Here's my breakfast/lunch at my desk. Remember, that is a quart of soup. The cookie is larger than it appears. =) It is crispy and buttery with the right amount of chocolate chips. I ate the entire thing and I was able to make it through the day.
I have eaten other things from Joe's: sandwiches, other soups, salads. However, I am a creature of habit. Once I found my trifecta: corned beef, matzo ball soup, and the chocolate chip cookie, I refuse to deviate from these comfort foods. Every person I have told about Joe's Deli complains about the wait, but absolutely loves the food. Fortunately, the owners Joe and Jeanette are building a new building on the other side of the parking lot which will accommodate more people at once. I, and many others, are so very happy that they decided to remain open for business while construction occurs. There may be less parking, but there's more than enough delicious home cooking to go around. Check it out, you will not be sorry.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Pho Sho!
Friday lunch was a wonderful surprise. East 4th Street has come into its own at the hip restaurant row in Cleveland. To me, the movement started when Iron Chef Michael Symon open his restaurant Lola on East 4th. As I recall, Pickwick and Frolic opened first. It has a restaurant, martini bar, and Hilarities comedy club. I remember in law school when I would walk by, East 4th was a rundown alley with this new place. There are tons of places now: Lola, Flannerys, Wonder Bar, Corner Alley, Chocolate Bar, The House of Blues, the list goes on. If you are visiting Cleveland, you MUST go to East 4th Street. You will not believe the amount of fantastic eateries in a small proximity.
Today, my intern Jack and I set out for lunch with no place in mind. We had no destination set. Our feet took us to East 4th Street, which is strange since it is not close to the office. There were hundreds of people eating outside in the patio areas of each restaurant. Nothing popped out at me for lunch, until I was right up on the sign, Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant & Bar. Hmm... The memories came flashing back.
2061 East 4th Street, Cleveland, OH - www.saigoncleveland.com
One of my very dear friends from my grueling, tortuous days at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law is Lynda. She opened my eyes to her Vietnamese culture by taking me to the Asian district in Cleveland, East 40th and St. Clair area. We shopped and ate strange, but oddly yummy fare. After graduation, Lynda took me to the Vietnamese district in the Washington D.C. area. There I had my first Pho. It was a large bowl of beef, rice noodles, green onions, bean sprouts, and broth with tasty flavors. She taught me you eat it with the spoon in the left hand, chopsticks in the other. Pho is a great cheap eat.
Remembering my last bowl of Pho with Lynda, I decided to take Jack there. Saigon is a fancy, up-scale place for Pho. The interior is modern and in line with the surrounding restaurants. It was packed, but we were seated immediately. As we passed a booth to our right, Jack said hello to Mark Shapiro, the General Manager for the red-hot Cleveland Indians. Jack is like that, he engages everyone in conversation. It's a quality I admire. Seeing someone of high importance at the restaurant gave me an immediate boost of confidence that our food would be good. Jack had never had Pho or any Vietnamese food for that matter. Boy was he in for it. We both ordered the P3, the Beef and Beef Meatball Noodle Soup and I ordered hot tea. The tea was piping hot and flavorful. We were served rather quickly with a very large bowl and a side of bean sprouts, jalapeno slices, and two sauces. I grabbed my spoon and chopsticks and dove right in. Hours later, as I write this, I am thinking about my first slurp. The Pho was warm, comforting, and delicious. The broth was aromatic and infused with many herbs and spices. After eating 3/4 of the bowl, I squeezed a little lime that came as a condiment. That little bit of acidity changed the entire composition of the broth. The meat was tender and seasoned well. I did not like the meatballs. But, that is my fault. I did not like the meatballs when I had it in D.C., but I forgot how much I disliked the dense texture and ordered it again. Jack liked the meatballs so to each his own.
I ate that ENTIRE bowl. I loved it. I wish I could go back right now for another one. Alas, Dudo is asleep so I'm not going anywhere. Funny thing, as we exited Saigon, the street was a ghost town. It had rained heavily in the short time we were eating. Ah that Cleveland weather. If you are in the mood for Pho or would like to try it for the first time, I highly suggest Saigon. It's fresh, delicious, and you can make it as hot or mild as you like. I know I will be there again...very soon.
Today, my intern Jack and I set out for lunch with no place in mind. We had no destination set. Our feet took us to East 4th Street, which is strange since it is not close to the office. There were hundreds of people eating outside in the patio areas of each restaurant. Nothing popped out at me for lunch, until I was right up on the sign, Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant & Bar. Hmm... The memories came flashing back.
2061 East 4th Street, Cleveland, OH - www.saigoncleveland.com
One of my very dear friends from my grueling, tortuous days at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law is Lynda. She opened my eyes to her Vietnamese culture by taking me to the Asian district in Cleveland, East 40th and St. Clair area. We shopped and ate strange, but oddly yummy fare. After graduation, Lynda took me to the Vietnamese district in the Washington D.C. area. There I had my first Pho. It was a large bowl of beef, rice noodles, green onions, bean sprouts, and broth with tasty flavors. She taught me you eat it with the spoon in the left hand, chopsticks in the other. Pho is a great cheap eat.
Remembering my last bowl of Pho with Lynda, I decided to take Jack there. Saigon is a fancy, up-scale place for Pho. The interior is modern and in line with the surrounding restaurants. It was packed, but we were seated immediately. As we passed a booth to our right, Jack said hello to Mark Shapiro, the General Manager for the red-hot Cleveland Indians. Jack is like that, he engages everyone in conversation. It's a quality I admire. Seeing someone of high importance at the restaurant gave me an immediate boost of confidence that our food would be good. Jack had never had Pho or any Vietnamese food for that matter. Boy was he in for it. We both ordered the P3, the Beef and Beef Meatball Noodle Soup and I ordered hot tea. The tea was piping hot and flavorful. We were served rather quickly with a very large bowl and a side of bean sprouts, jalapeno slices, and two sauces. I grabbed my spoon and chopsticks and dove right in. Hours later, as I write this, I am thinking about my first slurp. The Pho was warm, comforting, and delicious. The broth was aromatic and infused with many herbs and spices. After eating 3/4 of the bowl, I squeezed a little lime that came as a condiment. That little bit of acidity changed the entire composition of the broth. The meat was tender and seasoned well. I did not like the meatballs. But, that is my fault. I did not like the meatballs when I had it in D.C., but I forgot how much I disliked the dense texture and ordered it again. Jack liked the meatballs so to each his own.
I ate that ENTIRE bowl. I loved it. I wish I could go back right now for another one. Alas, Dudo is asleep so I'm not going anywhere. Funny thing, as we exited Saigon, the street was a ghost town. It had rained heavily in the short time we were eating. Ah that Cleveland weather. If you are in the mood for Pho or would like to try it for the first time, I highly suggest Saigon. It's fresh, delicious, and you can make it as hot or mild as you like. I know I will be there again...very soon.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Three Kolachkis before Easter
I apologize for this tardy post. I was engaged in trial last week. Now with my head somewhat clear, I can move on to very important matters...kolachkis!
(The box was full of kolachkis or "dainties" as Michael's Bakery called them at the Westside Market.)
I only had four days before Easter to find the best kolachkis in Cleveland. Unfortunately, I did not find them. However, I do have a clear favorite of the ones I tried.
On Wednesday before Easter, I went to the Westside Market before work. The Westside Market is another whole post in and of itself which I will tackle at another time. For those of you who are not aware, the Westside Market is one of the oldest free standing markets in the U.S. You can go there Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday to get everything from produce, meats, cheese, candy, Steve's Gyros (which has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives so the wait time is ridiculous), crepes, and coffee. I like to head there before work on Wednesdays and pick up veggies and my favorite bread. But, more on that later.
I went to the Market for two Internet recommended kolachkis, Vera's Bakery and Michael's Bakery. I found Vera's quickly because it is in the center. They only had about two dozen available. I picked up a dozen. The majority was nut and two pineapple, not sprinkled with powder sugar. Nut is my favorite, followed by cheese. I then searched for Michael's Bakery. I was about to give up and get a cup of coffee at City Roast Coffee when I realized that the stand was across from the coffee stand. Duh. Anyway, they had an entire box. They had some huge looking ones that they called kolachkis. I don't like big kolachkis; it's mostly dough. The box they had were called 'dainties' but they looked exactly like the ones I had at my Grandma's house for Easter. I also had to wait 10 minutes in line for my turn. If you hear other Westside Market workers ordering their morning pastries from there, you assume that it's better than the average. I was excited so I ordered two dozen in a variety of raspberry, apricot, nut, and cheese.
I brought them into work and dove right in. They were decent, but not memorable. In the morning I preferred Michael's. By the afternoon, I liked Vera's better. Both had dough that was light and tasty, but not overpowering. The downfalls was the fillings. They were not as flavorful as I hoped. Vera's nut and two pineapple did not have robust fillings. They were good, but not what I was looking for. Michael's raspberry kolachki was good, but the rest had somewhat bland fillings compared to the kolachkis in my dreams. Do not fear, I did not let those kolachkis go to waste though. I shared about four out of three dozen and the rest disappeared as I prepared for trial.
Now I have a very good friend...I will call...Officer Whitehair. We go to lunch at some of Cleveland's ethnic or out-of-the-way eateries. Because he read my blog, he brought me a huge container of assorted kolachkis from K&K Meat Market in Warren Village Shopping Center in the Westpark area of Cleveland. I like going to K&K for meat and their chocolate chip cookies are good when I had pregnancy cravings. Their pre-made food of stuffed cabbage, fried chicken, and kielbasi and sauerkraut are awesome. It's very good food. K&K is a family owned shop for many, many years. Love it. Anyway, these kolachkis were the best out of the three. The dough was light and moist. The former cookies lacked moisture. The kolachkis were sprinkled with power sugar too. Most importantly all the fillings were yummy. I would definitely eat these again. After eating half the container without sharing one, I realized that my perfect kolachki had more of a cream cheese taste to the dough. The dough is made of cream cheese after all. But these were very good.
Now that Easter is over, I will put my kolachki search on the back burner. I plan to hunt for more in the coming months, but right now, my waistline is tattling to the world of my weak will power.
Please remember that I am searching for a kolachki that I remember from my childhood. The above mentioned kolachkis were delicious in their own right. If you like kolachkis, I implore you to seek these and others in Cleveland to search for your favorite. Ethnic food is what kept this place going for decades and will continue to do so for decades to come.
I only had four days before Easter to find the best kolachkis in Cleveland. Unfortunately, I did not find them. However, I do have a clear favorite of the ones I tried.
On Wednesday before Easter, I went to the Westside Market before work. The Westside Market is another whole post in and of itself which I will tackle at another time. For those of you who are not aware, the Westside Market is one of the oldest free standing markets in the U.S. You can go there Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday to get everything from produce, meats, cheese, candy, Steve's Gyros (which has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives so the wait time is ridiculous), crepes, and coffee. I like to head there before work on Wednesdays and pick up veggies and my favorite bread. But, more on that later.
I went to the Market for two Internet recommended kolachkis, Vera's Bakery and Michael's Bakery. I found Vera's quickly because it is in the center. They only had about two dozen available. I picked up a dozen. The majority was nut and two pineapple, not sprinkled with powder sugar. Nut is my favorite, followed by cheese. I then searched for Michael's Bakery. I was about to give up and get a cup of coffee at City Roast Coffee when I realized that the stand was across from the coffee stand. Duh. Anyway, they had an entire box. They had some huge looking ones that they called kolachkis. I don't like big kolachkis; it's mostly dough. The box they had were called 'dainties' but they looked exactly like the ones I had at my Grandma's house for Easter. I also had to wait 10 minutes in line for my turn. If you hear other Westside Market workers ordering their morning pastries from there, you assume that it's better than the average. I was excited so I ordered two dozen in a variety of raspberry, apricot, nut, and cheese.
I brought them into work and dove right in. They were decent, but not memorable. In the morning I preferred Michael's. By the afternoon, I liked Vera's better. Both had dough that was light and tasty, but not overpowering. The downfalls was the fillings. They were not as flavorful as I hoped. Vera's nut and two pineapple did not have robust fillings. They were good, but not what I was looking for. Michael's raspberry kolachki was good, but the rest had somewhat bland fillings compared to the kolachkis in my dreams. Do not fear, I did not let those kolachkis go to waste though. I shared about four out of three dozen and the rest disappeared as I prepared for trial.
Now I have a very good friend...I will call...Officer Whitehair. We go to lunch at some of Cleveland's ethnic or out-of-the-way eateries. Because he read my blog, he brought me a huge container of assorted kolachkis from K&K Meat Market in Warren Village Shopping Center in the Westpark area of Cleveland. I like going to K&K for meat and their chocolate chip cookies are good when I had pregnancy cravings. Their pre-made food of stuffed cabbage, fried chicken, and kielbasi and sauerkraut are awesome. It's very good food. K&K is a family owned shop for many, many years. Love it. Anyway, these kolachkis were the best out of the three. The dough was light and moist. The former cookies lacked moisture. The kolachkis were sprinkled with power sugar too. Most importantly all the fillings were yummy. I would definitely eat these again. After eating half the container without sharing one, I realized that my perfect kolachki had more of a cream cheese taste to the dough. The dough is made of cream cheese after all. But these were very good.
Now that Easter is over, I will put my kolachki search on the back burner. I plan to hunt for more in the coming months, but right now, my waistline is tattling to the world of my weak will power.
Please remember that I am searching for a kolachki that I remember from my childhood. The above mentioned kolachkis were delicious in their own right. If you like kolachkis, I implore you to seek these and others in Cleveland to search for your favorite. Ethnic food is what kept this place going for decades and will continue to do so for decades to come.
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