Cleveland West Side Market Hallelujah Chorus “Flash Mob”

Here is a video of a wonderful performance by The West Shore Chorale and choral friends singing the Hallelujah Chorus at Cleveland Ohio’s historic West Side Market on December 18, 2010.




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Cleveland Lighthouse Encased in Ice (Video)

Here are videos of the Cleveland Harbor West Lighthouse (located on the west bank of the Cuyahoga River as it enters Lake Erie), which is now encased in ice. The windy weather, plus the frigid temperatures, kicked up icy waves which splashed – and then froze – on the lighthouse. And, in case you’d like to see the lighthouse without the ice, I also added a video that I took of the area last summer.

Update December 17, 2010: You can find some still photos here: ”Cleveland Lighthouse Becomes an Ice Castle”








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Trailer “Kill The Irishman”: A Cleveland "Mob" Story

Here is the new trailer for the upcoming film “Kill The Irishman” (formerly called “The Irishman”) which will be released in 2011. The film is based on the book by Rick Porrell titled “To Kill The Irishman: The War That Crippled The Mafia” about Cleveland, Ohio mobster Danny Greene. Long time Clevelanders will be very familiar with this story. Too bad it was filmed in Detroit!


Update March 6, 2011 -The film will have a limited release, as follows:

Opening in Select Theaters March 11th:

New York - Landmark Sunshine Cinema
Los Angeles - AMC Broadway 4
Cleveland - Cedar Lee / Cinemark 24 Valley View / Regal Crocker Park

Opening in additional theaters March 18th:

Detroit - Landmark Main Art
Chicago - AMC River East / Century Evanston 18
Boston - Kendall Square Cinema

More Theaters To Come!







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Winterfest Returns to Cleveland, Welcome to “Snow Days”

It’s that time of year – the cold and snow are coming and so are the winter holidays. This also means that Winterfest will be here, starting on November 27, 2010.


The newest addition to Winterfest is the Cleveland Indians "Snow Days" at Progressive Field where the Cleveland Indians ballpark is turned into a winter themed snow park, with snow tubing, ice skating, food/beverages and much more. I think this is a wonderful idea and a great use of Progressive Field during the cold and snowy season. Some of the events and features are as follows:

The Batterhorn (Snow Tubing), presented by RTA
10-lane snow tubing hill on top of Time Warner Cable Bleachers (eight adult lanes and two children's lanes starting at the top of the outfield wall)

The Frozen Mile (Ice Skating)
1/4 mile ice skating path around the outfield, the first in the United States

Slider's Snow Zone
Kids play area in deep left field

The Rookie Rink (Ice Skating)
Ice skating rink for beginning skaters in the left field corner

Slider's Snow Zone
Kids play area in deep left field

Winter Haven Walking Trail through the outfield featuring winter lights and a 3,000 square foot snow maze

Home Run Porch Area to congregate and watch the festivities, complete with fire pit and concessions

Indians Home Dugout Heaters will be turned on in the Indians home dugout on the third base line


“Snow Days” runs from November 26th through January 2nd and will be open from 10am until 10pm on the day of Winterfest. For more information about event dates and hours visit the indians.com/snowdays.

There is also a complete list of Winterfest partner events that can be found here: Downtown Cleveland Alliance Winterfest Partner Events & Specials



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Downtown Cleveland is Moving…Fast!

Here’s an interesting video from the Downtown Cleveland Alliance which highlights recent improvements and projects in progress for the City Of Cleveland. There are some exciting things happening here, and it's great to see that Cleveland is moving forward - fast!




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Sherwin-Williams Unveils New Billboard Celebrating its Cleveland Heritage

Photo courtesy of Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin Williams, headquartered in Cleveland Ohio, will be installing a new 10-story billboard on the company’s global headquarters, which is in the the Landmark Office Towers on Ontario Street. (This replaces the large LeBron James billboard that was removed after James left the Cavaliers.)

Here’s a time lapse video of the making of the billboard, plus a full press release with all the details. It will look fantastic once installed. Thanks to Sherwin-Williams for making Clevelanders proud of our fine city.

Updated October 28, 2010: The time lapse video of the installation has been included below, courtesy of Sherwin-Williams. The installation was delayed one day because of high winds and bad weather, but it was installed without a hitch.

Video: Time Lapse Chronicle of the Installation of the Sherwin-Williams Banner


Video: Time Lapse Chronicle of the Making of the Sherwin-Williams Banner.


Press release:

A TON (LITERALLY) OF CLEVELAND PRIDE

Sherwin-Williams® unveils new billboard celebrating its Cleveland heritage

CLEVELAND (October 25, 2010) ― It’s all about Cleveland pride. That’s what Sherwin-Williams, leading manufacturer and distributor of paint and coatings, communicates in its new 10-story, 1.3-ton billboard, which celebrates its presence in the Cleveland community for nearly 150 years.

The Sherwin-Williams billboard features a black and white photograph of the Cleveland skyline, and reads, “Our Home Since 1866. Our Pride Forever.” The giant billboard is going on the side of the Sherwin-Williams global headquarters in the Landmark Office Towers on Ontario Street. The billboard takes 12 hours to install and replaces the iconic 10-story billboard created by Nike.

“Seven simple words — ‘Our Home Since 1866. Our Pride Forever’ — help us capture, harness and crystallize a powerful, energizing message that Cleveland and Northeast Ohio are not only the best locations in the nation, but our community is one of the best locations in the world,” says Christopher M. Connor, chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Company. “Sherwin-Williams’ 144-year commitment to Cleveland and Northeast Ohio demonstrates why we are filled with pride and honored to be part of this great community.”

Sherwin-Williams Banner Facts:

•Ranks in the Top Five largest vinyl-mesh wall banners in the U.S.

•Ten stories tall: 110’ tall/210’ wide with 25,000 square feet of material.

•3,780 people could fill the banner.

•Manufacturer: Fusion Imaging, Kaysville, Utah. (fusionimaging.com)

•A huge industrial printer running 33 hours, fabricated 14 vinyl-mesh panels and 25,000 square feet of material that was sewn together. It took a 10-person sewing crew 100 hours to transform the 14 panels into one giant banner.

•It took 50 gallons of ink to print the four-color banner.

•It weighs 1.3 tons or 2,600 lbs.

•Twelve people are needed to fold and move the banner. (Thirty-five Utah high school football players hauled the banner off a truck and spread it across their football field so the Fusion crew could conduct a final inspection.)

•A special pallet was built to house the Sherwin-Williams banner during its truck ride from Utah to Cleveland, which was 1,785 miles and took more than 36 hours.

•Ten people will spend 12 hours installing the banner.

•A total of 15 people spent 300 hours creating, manufacturing, transporting and installing the banner.

“This 10-story wall banner is rolling out a giant welcome mat, saluting the strength, energy, talent, creativity, enthusiasm and warm hospitality embodied on a daily basis by the people of Northeast Ohio,” says Christopher M. Connor, chairman and CEO of The Sherwin-Williams Company.

Sherwin-Williams currently employs more than 30,000 people worldwide and approximately 2,000 in its global headquarters here in Cleveland. Ohio. Sherwin-Williams is the USA’s number one paint and coatings company and number three in the world.


The Sherwin-Williams Company:

Founded in 1866, The Sherwin-Williams Company is a global leader in the manufacture, development, distribution and sale of coatings and related products to professional, industrial, commercial and retail customers. The company manufactures products under well-known brands such as Sherwin-Williams®, Dutch Boy®, Krylon®, Minwax®,Thompson’s® WaterSeal® and many more. With global headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio, Sherwin-Williams® -branded products are sold exclusively through a chain of 3,354 company-operated stores and facilities, while the company’s other brands are sold through leading mass merchandisers, home centers, independent paint dealers, hardware stores, automotive retailers and industrial distributors. The Sherwin-Williams Global Finishes Group distributes a wide range of products in more than 70 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.sherwin-williams.com.

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Cleveland Skyline 20 Mile View

Here’s a view of the Cleveland Ohio skyline, from about 20 miles east, taken from a vantage point in the Chapin Forest. (Click on the image for a larger view.) The tallest building in the center is the Key Tower, with 200 Public Square , then The Terminal Tower , to the left.

Photo © allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com

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Cleveland Beer Week Returns In October 2010

Photos courtesy ClevelandBeerWeek.org

Clevelanders love their beer, and the city has a long history of crafting brews. The first Cleveland Beer Week in October 2009 was such a success that it is returning again in October 2010. Here is the official press release; further details on the week and all the events can be found at ClevelandBeerWeek.org .


CLEVELAND BEER WEEK is Set for October 15-23

Impressive Support from Community in 2009 Shapes Planning for Second Annual Celebration

The second annual Cleveland Beer Week, a nine-day celebration of craft brews, will take place from October 15-23, 2010, and will feature hundreds of craft beer tastings, dinners, demonstrations, leisure activities, educational programs, and specials at bars, restaurants, and grocers throughout Cuyahoga County and beyond. Established in 2009 as the first event of its kind in northeast Ohio, Cleveland Beer Week is a not-for-profit, collaborative celebration that raises awareness of the craft and import beer industry—particularly the rich tradition of brewing in Ohio—and promotes patronage at local establishments.

By all measures, the first annual Cleveland Beer Week in 2009 was a grand success. With little more than three months to plan, organizers from local retailers, breweries, and distributors—led by founding members from Winking Lizard, Heidelberg Distributing, and Heinen’s—produced a craft beer festival that rivaled others around the country and featured a staggering 500 events at more than 120 venues. In an independent survey conducted after the celebration, 100% of participating retailers, breweries, and distributors reported increases in both patron traffic and revenue during Cleveland Beer Week. The average increases were reported as 11-20% for patron traffic and 6-15% for revenue, with impressive increases of 21-30+% reported by 33% of respondents for patron traffic and 25% of respondents for revenue.

Building on the success of last year’s Cleveland Beer Week, organizers started planning early for 2010 and have already finalized and posted more than 225 events to their website, www.clevelandbeerweek.org/ Event postings will continue daily and up until Cleveland Beer Week begins on October 15. Visitors to the website may search events by date, venue, brewery, or neighborhood, and select events of interest to create their own personal itinerary. Of particular note are the following flagship events, competitions, and offerings:

The Ohio Craft Brewer’s Association has organized a collaboration that will produce six custom beers packaged specially for Cleveland Beer Week. The 12 breweries participating in the largest known collaboration of its kind in the world have created six brews, including a Strong Ale Barrel Aged by Great Lakes Brewing Company and Cellar Rats, a Smoked Black Lager by Thirsty Dog Brewing Company and Indigo Imp, a Rye Kolsh by The Brew Kettle and Willoughby Brewing, a Wet Hopped IPA by Fat Heads and Black Box, an Imperial American Porter by Hoppin’ Frog and Rocky River Brewing Company, and an Alt Bier by Buckeye Brewing and Cornerstone Brewery. Mixed 12-packs will be sold at retailers including Heinen’s in early October, and participating breweries will feature all six brews on draft during Cleveland Beer Week.

On Friday, October 15 at 7 p.m., Cleveland Beer Week will open with “Grains vs. Grapes: The Ultimate Match-up,” an official keg tapping and 4-course dinner, at Crowne Plaza in downtown Cleveland (777 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland 44113). The evening will be hosted by special guests Sam Calagione, founder of Dogfish Head, and Marianne Franz, president of the American Wine School. Frantz and Calagione will discuss a selection of wines and craft beers from Ohio brewers and Dogfish Head that they have paired with a multi-course menu created by the Michael Symon Restaurant Group. Jimmy Malone of Cleveland radio’s WMJI will serve as master of ceremonies and all proceeds will benefit the Malone Scholarship Fund that is managed by Cleveland Scholarship Programs. Advance tickets are required and are $75/person.

On Friday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m., Heidelberg Distributing will host “Ales on Rails” on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Departing from the Rockside Station (7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence 44131), this delightful ride includes a boxed supper and brews from Sam Smith, Bluegrass, Thirsty Dog, Fullers, Chimay, Ithaca, and Smutty Nose. Advance tickets are required and range from $25-$45 based on train car selection. All proceeds benefit the Malone Scholarship Fund.


The Society of Northeast Ohio Brewers (SNOBS) is sponsoring a “Son of BREWzilla Homebrew Competition” that is open to all entries registering before October 9 at www.beersnobs.org/contest. Participants may submit their first beer—from a choice of 23 categories—for $7 and additional beers for $5 each. The competition takes place at Fat Heads Brewery and Saloon (24581 Lorain Road, North Olmsted OH) on Saturday, October 23 at 9:00 a.m.; winners will be announced and prizes awarded at Cleveland Beer Week’s BREWzilla event that same evening. The “Best of Show” panel of judges includes Mitch Steele of Stone Brewing Co., Andy Tveekrem formerly of Dogfish Head, and Matt Cole of Fat Heads Brewery. The winning Best of Show entry will be brewed professionally by Fat Heads for the 2011 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am held in Denver, Colorado.

Cleveland Beer Week will conclude with “BREWzilla,” a monster of a beer tasting, on Saturday, October 23 at the Galleria at Erieview in downtown Cleveland (1301 East Ninth Street, Cleveland 44113). BREWzilla will feature more than 100 breweries; a special “Ohio Brewery” area with various beers from local breweries as well as all 2010 collaborative brews; and food selections courtesy of Winking Lizard and Heinen’s including an Angus hot dog bar, beef brisket and vegetable hoagies, and various cheese stations organized by the style of beer with which they best pair. Additionally, Cleveland Beer Week has commissioned Lilly Handmade Chocolates in Tremont to design a chocolate creation inspired by a local brewer. Tickets for the Brewer’s Circle are $75 and include event admittance at 6 p.m., the opportunity to taste rare brews in the new “Brewer’s Circle Lounge” open all evening, and a commemorative Cleveland Beer Week t-shirt. General Admission tickets are $50 and for admittance from 7-11 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Malone Scholarship Fund.

Cleveland Beer Week is sponsored by Winking Lizard, Heidelberg Distributing, Heinen’s, Buckeye/Beer Engine, Goose Island, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Superior Beverage Group, Premium Beverage Supply, Cavalier Distributing, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Akron Beacon Journal’s the330.com, ClearChannel radio stations WMMS 100.7 and WMJI 105.7, Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Center, Hudson Printing, and Cleveland Scene. Additional support is provided by Thirsty Dog Brewing Co., The Brew Kettle, Christopher Design, Metromix, Anchor Hocking, Rockin Cleveland Party Bus, and ACE Taxi.


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Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information, All Things Cleveland Ohio.

“Cuyahoga” Means Crooked – For Rivers AND County Commissioners (An Editorial)

Cleveland is located in Cuyahoga County, and the Cuyahoga River flows through the city of Cleveland on its way to Lake Erie, separating the city into” “east siders” and “west siders. The word “Cuyahoga" translates to “crooked river" in the Iroquois language, as the river has a crooked, winding pattern as it snakes through the area.

The name Cuyahoga couldn’t fit better for the "crooked" Cuyahoga County Commissioners, one of which who is being charged for several counts of corruption and the others appear to be mentioned in that commissioner's indictment (but not charged with any wrongdoing). There are also other related charges for an auditor, contractors, and even judges. In fact, Commissioner Jimmy Dimora, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, is at the center of one of the biggest local corruption cases in U.S. history. While many have been charged already, and Dimora’s indictment has been expected by many since his home, and those of other commission members and contractors were raided by the Feds about 2 years ago, it’s likely that this is not the end of the Federal investigation or Federal charges for others.

The Plain Dealer also noted ”The reach of the scandal might turn out to be highly unusual, said Case Western Reserve University law and political science professor Jonathan Entin, because it involves an old-fashioned, political-party operation, far more common in 19th- and early 20th-century U.S. politics..."It starting to look like the classic 'machine,' " Entin said after reading Wednesday's indictments.”As the Democratic county chair, Jimmy Dimora built a party organization" that has no peer in contemporary local politics.”

It’s more than an embarrassment for the Cleveland area; it’s a disgusting display of greed and misuse of power. While one of the county auditors, Frank Russo, has already cut a deal with the Feds, Dimora continues to proclaim his innocence. While people are innocent until proven guilty, the 177 pages of indictment against Dimora make it hard to believe that he is as squeaky clean as he professes. Dimora is currently on a brief leave of absence, but said he plans to finish out his term, which is not too much longer. With the county voters already voting for change in the structure of their county commissioners and the process to elect new officials is underway, Dimora should just step aside. While he probably did not want to step aside before any indictments were made, now that he has been indicted and will be putting his full attention to his defense, it is not fair for county residents to have leadership that not only can’t be trusted, but that has no time to represent the public.

The city of Cleveland and the residents of Cuyahoga County deserve to have politicians that they can trust. While the indictments and the scandal are likely not over, as the new county government structure and the related election moves forward, there must be checks and balances put in place to ensure that this never happens again – because Clevelanders only want crooked rivers, not politicians.



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Happy 15th Anniversary, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

This weekend marks the 15th anniversary of Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. It seems like it’s been around longer than 15 years, maybe because rock & roll is so ingrained in the history and culture of Cleveland.

To help celebrate, here are a few of some of my favorite photos that I’ve taken of the Rock Hall over the years.

Don't forget to check out the web site for The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and by all means, come to Cleveland to pay it a visit!








© allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted


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Cleveland Ohio I-90 Innerbelt (Video)

Take an “animated” drive on the I-90 Innerbelt in Cleveland Ohio (from I-71 to I-90 East up to Dead Man’s Curve).





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Cleveland: “The Best Location in the Nation” (Song and Video)

Many thanks to a Cleveland fan by the name of “Jim” who forwarded to me a copy of an old song known as “Cleveland: The Best Location in the Nation” performed by Les Adair with the Vic Stuart Combo.

The slogan “The Best Location in the Nation” goes back to sometime in the 1940s but has not been used for many years. Still, many long time Cleveland area residents believe that Cleveland is a wonderful place to live and work and is still the best.

Here’s a video I created showing some of Cleveland’s sights, set to the backdrop of the song as it was played on a local radio show (Bob and Ray) many years back. (The video features recent pictures; I just made it look old to fit the music.)

Enjoy!





All Original Text Content © allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted


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The Wade Chapel

The Wade Chapel, located in Cleveland’s Lakeview Cemetery, is named in honor of Jeptha Wade, the founder of The Western Union Telegraph Company. It was completed in 1901. The chapel is best known for its interior, which was designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany, and is one of very few interiors in the world designed completely by Tiffany. (The building exterior was designed by architects W. Dominick Benes and Benjamin S. Hubbell, and is in the Greek Revival style.)

The interior is what draws most visitors to the chapel - to see the large Tiffany window titled “The Flight of Souls.” The color and iridescence of the window comes from the Favrile technique Tiffany used while creating the glass by exposing it to chemicals and fumes of molten metals. This method gave the glass the rich color and that special Tiffany opalescence and glow as light shines through.

What visitors may not know is that the interior walls are also covered in mosaic tiles which glow in bright hues as light shines on them. In the dim light of the chapel they do not look as colorful as compared to the Tiffany window, yet light shining directly on them brings out the vibrant color. The murals depict themes from the Old and New Testament.

The chapel is only open from April to November, so it is best to check the Lakeview Cemetery web site for specific days and hours when planning a visit.










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Lakeview Dam

Hiding in plain sight in Cleveland’s Lakeview Cemetery is Lakeview Dam. At the time of its construction in 1978, it was the largest concrete filled dam east of the Rocky Mountains. A current Lakeview Cemetery pamphlet lists it as the largest concrete filled dam east of the Mississippi. The Lakeview Cemetery web site says “The dam is 500 feet across, 60 feet above grade and 30 feet below grade…The dam can hold back 80 million gallons of water.” It’s a lot bigger than I expected.

Here are a few photos I took of the dam when visiting the area last week. By the way, Lakeview Cemetery has some fantastic sights and I’ll be highlighting a few more of those in the near future.

Wide view of the dam (the curve is from camera distortion)

View from above the dam - the top of the Garfield Monument is also visible

All photos © allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com

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Abandoned Coast Guard Station – Cleveland Ohio

The City of Cleveland owns an abandoned US Coast Guard Station which sits at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River, visible from Whiskey Island/Wendy Park . The city bought the facility in 2004 for $1 from local developer Jeff Jacobs. Restoration and repair is virtually non-existent and the building is still in bad shape. When visiting the area a few weeks ago I didn’t venture out to the building area, but I’ve heard the views of the city are very good from that vantage point. (Note that the building itself is off limits.) I hope the city continues to work on restoring this building as it would be a great place to view the city skyline. The structure is very photogenic from the outside – and from a distance. Here’s a photo that I took during my last visit to the area.

Photo © allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com

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“Hot in Cleveland” Comes to TV Land

Move over, Drew Carey. A new television show focusing on Cleveland Ohio is premiering on TV Land on Wednesday June 16, 2010, and it's called “Hot in Cleveland.” The show, which stars Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves and Wendie Malick, is about three attractive single women from Los Angeles who are on their way to Paris for a vacation when their plane makes an emergency stop in Cleveland. They find it’s a great place to live for a single woman and decide to stay. They move into a house which comes complete with its own cranky caretaker, played by the wonderful Betty White.

Don't be worried that this show will take pot shots at Cleveland. The Cleveland Plain Dealer spoke to producers who assured they love Cleveland. In fact, the show’s blog includes a list of the things that they love about Cleveland.








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Cleveland’s Whiskey Island & Wendy Park

Some of the nicest views of the Cleveland skyline can be found at the Whiskey Island and Wendy Park areas, right on Lake Erie immediately west of the city and at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River. I visited the area last week and here is a short video compilation of some of the sights, which include the Whiskey Island Marina, the Whiskey Island Lighthouse, the old US Coast Guard station, and some of the nice views of the Cleveland skyline from Wendy Park. The Goodtime III can also be seen – and heard – making an appearance.





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Cleveland Ohio Skyline (Cuyahoga River West Bank View)

The weather has been outstanding here in Northeast Ohio as of late, so it was a perfect time to head to downtown Cleveland to take some photos and videos. Here’s one short video of the Cleveland skyline, taken from the west bank of the Cuyahoga River.




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Cleveland: The Sports “Curse” Is Alive And Well

Last night, the Cleveland Cavaliers lost what may have been their best chance EVER to nab the NBA championship, but the team, with the most valuable player in the NBA (LeBron James) just plain blew it. My response – snore. There is a reason I don’t get too excited about any Cleveland sports team, no matter how well they are doing. It’s because we haven’t won anything major since 1964, a pre-Super Bowl year, when the Browns were the NFL Champions. Everybody in the Cleveland area knows one of the city’s mottos is “Maybe next year…” and that the city has reportedly been cursed when it comes to their sports teams.

There are a few web sites that focus on Cleveland sports teams (and our dismal performances) such as cursedcleveland.com and waitingfornextyear.com to name just two. But, if you want to dig deep into the details of what makes Cleveland sports fans feel cursed, you have to read the book “Curses! Why Cleveland Sports Fans Deserve To Be Miserable” by Tim Long. It speaks to all the horrific sports memories that long time Clevelanders would rather forget, such as the Browns’ “Red Right 88”, the Cleveland Indians trading Rocky Colavito, and Browns owner Art Modell moving the team out of Cleveland. It’s a great read and even after reading about all the history of sports misery in Cleveland, you may not feel so bad. OK, you will feel bad for the city and the fans, but then again, maybe like me, you will chose not to let it bother you anymore.

As for the Cleveland Cavaliers and their loss to Boston last night, well, all I can say is, “Maybe next year…”


Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information, All Things Cleveland Ohio, here.

Cleveland’s Galleria Reborn As A “Garden Under Glass”

Photo copyright Allthingsclevelandohio.blogsot.com

View of Galleria Glass Roof from the Tower At Erieview

Part of Cleveland’s Tower at Erieview complex includes The Galleria, a large, two-story, glass covered shopping and dining arcade, opened in 1987. Years later, as The Tower City complex drew shopping closer to the core of downtown Cleveland, many retail tenants left The Galleria. After many comings and goings, all that remain are a few niche businesses, one large bank office, and the food court – and empty spaces. I used to work in the Tower at Erieview and it was very sad to see such a beautiful space as The Galleria go to waste.

But now The Galleria has a new purpose in life, and it’s surprising no one thought of it sooner. As the Galleria looks like a giant greenhouse, it was only a matter of time before someone thought of using the space as just that - a greenhouse. And that person was Vicky Poole, head of marketing for The Galleria, who, along with Jack Hamilton (manager of Artist Review Today magazine and gallery in the Galleria) won a grant from Cleveland's Civic Innovation Lab to set up the greenhouse project in The Galleria. The project is called ”Gardens Under Glass” which their website describes as “a sustainable urban Eco Village.” It goes on to say that

“At the project’s root is an urban farm that will use a system called re-circulating greenhouse hydroponics to grow produce such as; tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, herbs, peppers, and flowers.

From the Gardens will stem opportunities for urban-based businesses traditionally considered rural. Green-Minded opportunities will include:

•Vegan/Vegetarian Restaurants
•Renewable Energy Companies
•Natural Health Food Store
•Garden Supply Store
•Retail specializing in Recycled Products
•A Year-Round Indoor/Downtown Farmers Market

This facility will also serve as an educational center to inform the public on the importance of Urban Gardening and harnessing alternative natural energy resources such as Solar, Wind power and rainwater.”

It sounds like a great use for such a wonderful space!

If you want more information, stop by the ”Gardens Under Glass” website or if you are in the area, stop by and check out the project for yourself at:

The Galleria At Erieview
1301 East Ninth Street
Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Aerial image from Google

Street image from Google

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Cleveland’s Two Seasons: Winter, Orange Barrels

Most places have 4 seasons – winter, spring, summer, and fall – but Cleveland only has two: winter and “orange barrels”. Oh sure, it may look like spring outside right now, but already the orange barrels signifying the never ending road construction and maintenance are blooming like daffodils. (In a few places they never left. The barrels, I mean, not the daffodils.) The best source for ongoing information on road construction and road conditions is from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT). Check it often for road construction updates!

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"The Q" Quicken Loans Arena Video Tour

With the Cleveland Cavaliers having a great year and with playoffs just around the corner, this short video tour of the Quicken Loans Arena (AKA "The Q") filmed by Insider Perks is quite timely. Enjoy! (And let’s hope the Cavs will go all the way this season – this city needs a big win.)





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Drew Carey Works to Save Cleveland in New Documentary Series

Cleveland’s own Drew Carey ("The Drew Carey Show” and host of “The Price is Right) will be lending his support to help save his home town in a documentary series presented by Reason.tv called “Reason Saves Cleveland With Drew Carey” airing during the week of March 15-19. There are six 10-minute episodes which, according to the web site, “investigates and analyzes the problems that turned Cleveland from the nation's sixth-largest city in 1950 into today's ”Mistake On The Lake.” “ It’s an attempt to give city leaders and residents a wake up call in to take new approaches to old problems, in the hopes of bringing much needed growth and prosperity back to not only Cleveland, but also to other cities across the United States that are in the same situation.

Here is the full release schedule, with episode title, explanation, and air dates for each episode, and be sure to stop by Reason.tv on the designated dates to watch these short programs. I have also included two preliminary videos below which should help to further explain this series.

Episode 1: The Decline of a Once-Great City (March 15)
Sixty years ago, Cleveland was a booming city full of promise, opportunity, and people. Today, the city’s population is less half of what it was in its prime and it ranks as one of the poorest big cities in the United States. Hometown hero Drew Carey reflects on how the city became “the mistake on the lake” and wonders about the city’s future. Is a Cleveland renaissance possible or is the city doomed to long, slow death?

Episode 2: Fix the Schools (March 15)
Cleveland’s public schools are failing to prepare students for their future and as a result, all parents who can afford to have been fleeing to the suburbs for decades. Yet some urban schools, like Think College Now in Oakland, California are finding out that a combination of administrative autonomy and accountability can lead to amazing results. Within Cleveland's own boundaries, charter schools are booming and delivering quality education at a fraction of the cost of traditional public schools. Does Cleveland have what it takes to fundamentally reform its K-12 education system and become a leader in 21st-century education?

Episode 3: Privatize It (March 16)
Should cities be in the business of running businesses ranging from convention centers to farmers markets? Selling off golf courses, contracting out parking concessions, and all manner of public-private partnerships are generating billions of dollars in revenue and dramatically improving city services in places such as Chicago and Indianapolis. Will Cleveland's elected officials learn the right lessons in time?

Episode 4: Take Care of Business (March 17)
After World War II, Cleveland was booming, thanks to its leadership role in heavy industry and a business-friendly climate. Today, the city’s high taxes and onerous regulatory demands make it nearly impossible for new businesses to set up shop while choking the life out of existing companies. While relatively laissez-faire cities such as Houston are growing even during the current recession, Cleveland remains stuck in a rut. How can city officials make the city a more welcoming place for entrepreneurs to thrive?

Episode 5: Encourage Bottom-Up Development (March 18)
Cleveland has spent billions on big-ticket urban redevelopment efforts including heavily subsidized sports stadiums and convention centers that have utterly failed to revitalize the city’s economy. Should the city be pouring even more money into and pinning yet higher hopes on long-odds mega-projects? Or should they realize that bottom-up projects driven by the actual residents and private-sector investors are the best was to build a vibrant city for the long haul?

Episode 6: Bring Back the People (March 19)
No city can exist without people, and Cleveland has lost more than half its population since the 1950s. Yet the city still boasts amazingly affordable neighborhoods, down-to-earth charm, a rich history, a stunning and varied landscape, and diverse ethnic and cultural scenes. How can Cleveland can become a destination where people flock to pursue their personal versions of the American Dream?











Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information, All Things Cleveland Ohio, here.

Forbes, America’s Most Miserable Magazine

Not Miserable!

Cleveland Ohio appeared on yet another Forbes list, this time Forbes calling Cleveland “America’s Most Miserable City” . Forbes puts Cleveland at the top of the list, saying that it “secured the position thanks to its high unemployment, high taxes, lousy weather, corruption by public officials and crummy sports teams (Cavaliers of the NBA excepted).” They bring up the city’s “colorful history” reminding readers about the Cuyahoga River burning in the late 1960s, and the city’s default in 1978, the “first U.S. city to default on its debts since the Great Depression.” It mentions the anguish fans have suffered over its sports teams, and grudgingly mentions the currently successful Cleveland Cavaliers NBA team. It also resurrects and old city nickname, “the Mistake by the Lake.”

The magazine used the “misery measure” which they explained as follows “Our Misery Measure takes into account unemployment, as well as eight other issues that cause people anguish. The metrics include taxes (both sales and income), commute times, violent crime and how its pro sports teams have fared over the past two years. We also factored in two indexes put together by Portland, Ore., researcher Bert Sperling that gauge weather and Superfund pollution sites. Lastly we considered corruption based on convictions of public officials in each area as tracked by the Public Integrity Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.”

The article explains how Cleveland rates poorly in the key categories, and then, in an section that I call “damning with faint praise”, they explain that “There are certainly bright spots in Cleveland. Downtown has experienced a revival over the past 15 years helped in part by the construction of three new sports venues for the city's NFL, NBA and baseball teams. The Cleveland Clinic is one of the top medical centers in the U.S. and the largest employer in northeast Ohio.”

I was unable to find on the Forbes web site the actual data used to compile the list. Here are the cities that Forbes lists, and their ranking:

The 20 "Most Miserable Cities" in America:

1. Cleveland
2. Stockton, Calif.
3. Memphis, Tenn.
4. Detroit
5. Flint, Mich.
6. Miami
7. St. Louis
8. Buffalo, N.Y.
9. Canton, Ohio
10.Chicago
11.Modesto, Calif.
12.Akron, Ohio
13.Kansas City
14.Rockford, Ill.
15.Toledo, Ohio
16.New York City
17.Sacramento, Calif.
18.Youngstown, Ohio
19.Gary, Ind.
20.Philadelphia

One thing I learned years ago when I worked in a job that included analyzing and reporting performance metrics and business expenses is that a person can make numbers say just about anything they want, as long as they pick and chose the right categories and the right set of results. Forbes, in this case, seems to enjoy picking and choosing those categories which puts Cleveland, and a lot of other Ohio cities, on the top 20.

Based on my own statistics, taken by reviewing comments from Cleveland area residents, and commentary from various local press sources, I have deemed that Forbes Magazine is the most miserable magazine in America. I can also say this also from personal experience, because I actually subscribe to Forbes Magazine and over the last two years, find myself reading it less and less because it offers very little. I should mention that I’ve never had to pay for that magazine subscription as it was a “freebie” that I got as a giveaway from another business web site. Apparently Forbes has to give away their magazines because it’s hard to get people to pay to read the tripe they publish. Thankfully, my free subscription runs out soon and even if it is free I won’t be taking it anymore.

But back to the miserable Forbes. Since Forbes dredged up Cleveland’s ancient past, let’s dredge up Forbes’. The magazine and web site’s performance seems to be slipping, with the web site 24/7 Wall St. saying about Forbes in May of 2009:

Ad pages at Forbes were down 17% last year and are down 19% year-to-date. The most recent issue’s ad pages were 33% lower than they were in the same issue last year. Forbes has a circulation rate base of 900,000 in the US. The company also has an edition for Asia and several smaller publications.

The print business at Forbes is doing as poorly as it is at BusinessWeek and Fortune. Forbes has the advantage of a much larger audience online. In the US, it has almost 5.6 million unique visitors and 66 million pageviews. Revenue from the Forbes online business is between $70 million and $80 million, but is not growing. Forbes management might say that its online operations are profitable and that its print business loses money. It is convenient to separate the two businesses, but they share so many resources, that this is not a realistic description of the Forbes overall business.

Forbes.com themselves reported on February 8, 2010 that “Circulation for U.S. magazines slipped more than 2 percent in the second half of 2009. A new report also finds that single-copy sales, which are more lucrative for publishers, dropped more than 9 percent.” It seems Forbes is part of a dying industry, and that has to be miserable.

And imagine working for a company run by Steve Forbes, president and CEO of Forbes, Inc. and chief editor of Forbes Magazine, a guy who tried to run for president of the United States and was largely ignored. Despite Steve’s wealth and life in his ivory tower, that failure has got to make a guy miserable. I guess his money can’t buy everything.

But the Cleveland Plain Dealer said it best, where Phillip Morris said in an editorial that “Forbes magazine is worse than a dirty lover, it's fickle” , going on to say:

"Just last year, Forbes was singing Cleveland's praises. The magazine said we were hot. It ranked us as America's 14th best city for single people.

What a fickle lover.

At the time, I took note of that ranking and called it a joke. Cleveland is full of beautiful, if slightly overweight, people. We have a nice theater district, and a downtown entertainment district with options enough to keep one from going stir-crazy. We have professional sports year around.

But this city has not been one of America's hottest cities since Halle Berry left. In 2008 Forbes ranked us as 38th in the dating category, which begs the question: How did Forbes suddenly discover that we were so hot?

With the latest ranking – that we're miserable – I wonder how we could make such an astounding leap in the quality of our dating scene at the same time we were busy killing each other and hemorrhaging jobs, homes, and population?

The magazine never explains its revision.”

Count me in as another Cleveland area resident who thinks that Forbes is way off base here. The Cleveland area has so much to offer (just spend some time reading my blog here and you will see what I mean). It has plenty of things to do and see, including beautiful Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River Valley, the world class Cleveland Orchestra, and let’s not forget the world class medical care, which draws in people from all around the globe. Living costs (housing, food utilities) are very low in the Cleveland metropolitan area. Sure, it has problems like crime, poverty, and housing problems in the inner city, but so do many other big cities. But it is unfair for Forbes to pick and chose certain “miserable” categories on which to base its ranking; one does’t get a clear picture by cutting out most of the snapshot.

So Forbes, let me congratulate you on being the most miserable magazine in America. You’ve certainly earned it.



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Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information, All Things Cleveland Ohio, here.

Cleveland’s I-90 Innerbelt Bridge Time Lapse

Finally the sun has come out after what seems like endless weeks of gray skies. It was a good day to take a quick time lapse video of Cleveland’s Innerbelt Bridge as the skies cleared.






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Cleveland #1 On Forbes “Worst Winter Weather” List

It's snowing right now as I write this, here is a photo of the

Innerbelt Bridge just taken a few minutes ago.

For Cleveland area residents, this may fall under the category of “tell us something we didn’t already know.” Forbes Magazine has put Cleveland Ohio at the top of the list of US cities with the worst winter weather. Forbes says this about Cleveland weather:

Our measures show that those in Cleveland experience the worst winter months. Located on the south shore of Lake Erie, the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has relatively mild summers but its winters require endurance. Cleveland gets hit by lake-effect snow, averaging almost 60 inches every winter and its frigid winters help produce an average annual temperature of only 50 degrees, 10 degrees below the 50-city average.


You can find all the details of how they arrived at their conclusion at this link:
Forbes.com America's Worst Winter Weather Cities



Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information, All Things Cleveland Ohio, here.

"Positively Cleveland" Launches Redesigned Web Site

Yesterday, the web site Positively Cleveland unveiled their redesigned web site. One nice feature is that the site incorporates all of their social media sites, such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr so all the current information can be viewed from the Positively Cleveland web site. In addition, their current visitors guides can be viewed on line. Besides providing information on where to “Visit, Stay, Play, Eat, Rock” the site also highlights current and upcoming events, discount information, contests, maps, and weather conditions (which Clevelanders know can change quickly).

The site is very easy to navigate and is the best all-in-one source for visitors coming to the city of Cleveland. It’s also a great reference for those of us who live in the Cleveland metropolitan area as well. So if you’re planning a visit, or if you’re a Cleveland area resident who wants to rediscover the city, stop by Positively Cleveland !




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Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information, All Things Cleveland Ohio, here.

Cleveland Ohio Sketchbook (Video)

Here is a short video of some of the key landmarks of Cleveland Ohio in sketches.






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© allthingsclevelandohio.blogspot.com unless otherwise noted

Check out my blog home page for the latest Cleveland information,
All Things Cleveland Ohio, here.

The Cleveland Memory Project

Erieview Tower construction, 1964

The City of Cleveland has been around for a long time and has an interesting history. One of the best sources for photographs, e-books, and all kinds of historical "goodies" is The Cleveland Memory Project. Cleveland Memory is a collaborative effort of the Special Collections Dept., Digital Processing Unit, Technical Services Dept. & Systems Division at the Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland State University.

It is probably the most comprehensive on-line source of historical photographs for Cleveland. Not only is it filled with photos of some of the city’s architecture and landmarks, but you can also find interesting information on famous/infamous Cleveland area people such as Elliot Ness (after his “Untouchable” days), and Dr. Sam Sheppard (from the very famous murder case upon which the TV show and movie “The Fugitive” was rumored to be based.)

Millionaire’s Row, circa 1912

My personal favorite section is the Cleveland Press Collection, which, according to the Cleveland Memory Project, contains “hundreds of thousands of clippings and photographs. The Cleveland Press Collection is the former editorial library, or "morgue," of The Cleveland Press and is now part of Cleveland State University Library's Special Collections.” (“The Press” was a daily afternoon newspaper, published from 1878 until 1982.)

Stop by The Cleveland Memory Project and you may be surprised at how easy – and how interesting – it can be to relive Cleveland’s past.


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