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…”


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

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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?











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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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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



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"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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Cleveland Ohio Sketchbook (Video)

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






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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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Forecasting the Weather with WKYC's Mark Nolan

I admit, I always thought that the weather forecasters in Cleveland used satellite imagery, Doppler radar, barometer readings, and their education in meteorology in order to forecast the weather. This little video below shows WKYC Channel 3’s Mark Nolan’s little secret that helped him arrive at his forecast (this could be why he's now on the anchor desk). All kidding aside, this video from 2006 and just now made available, is very engaging. I think he was a little hard on the rain, don’t you? As for me, I would have taken a shovel to that snow.

Enjoy!




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A Christmas Story House Lights Up For Christmas

Everybody loves the movie “A Christmas Story” about Ralphie’s Christmas wish for a Red Ryder BB Gun (“You’ll shoot your eye out!), triple dog dares, “meatloaf, smeatloaf, double-beatloaf,” a tongue stuck to a metal pole, and of course a "major award" leg lamp. This film had many scenes filmed in the city of Cleveland, and the house used for the exterior shots was in Cleveland’s Tremont neighborhood. This house was restored and the interior transformed to match the interior sets used in the movie, and opened in November 2006 as The Christmas Story House & Museum, located at 3159 W. 11th Street.

This year, the owners of the house and museum decided to take a cue from the fictional character of Clark Griswold in the film “Christmas Vacation” by lighting the Christmas Story House in the same manner. Here’s a new video from Insider Perks which chronicles the lighting. I’ve also included a video that they produced when the house and museum opened so you can get a quick tour.


Christmas Story House Lighting 2009






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Cleveland Ohio – New Aerial Video

Here’s a new video prepared by aboveallphoto.com Of some aerial photography of the Cleveland, Ohio and surrounding areas (including Akron and Canton). Enjoy!






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The West Side Market, Revisited

In May of 2008, I did a feature on Cleveland’s West Side Market, located on the corner of West 25th and Lorain. Positively Cleveland. has prepared a video tour of the West Side Market (below) which is sure to make you hungry. Enjoy!





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GuitarMania – A Study in Photographs

The winter gray skies are fast approaching and before we know it we will be buried in snow. So I thought it was a good time to dig out some of my photos that show the colorful side of Cleveland. I landed on a group of pictures that I’ve taken over the years from GuitarMania, where the city is dotted with giant Fender-style guitars that are decorated by various artists. The problem is that the color of the guitars got lost in the backgrounds behind them. So, I just made the background black and white to make it easier to appreciate the color and the detail of these guitars. OK, it looks gray just like it does in the winter. But that’s life here in the Cleveland metro area! I hope you enjoy the photos.

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Cleveland’s Chef Michael Symon Opens 2 In the”Q”

The Quicken Loans Arena is already going to be rocking this season, now that Shaquille O’Neal has joined the Cleveland Cavaliers to play alongside “King” Lebron James. But now Cavs fans can add a great eating experience along with their enjoyment of the basketball game. Cleveland's best known chef and Food Network "Iron Chef" star Michael Symon has opened two new eateries in the “Q”: The B Spot, and Bar Symon. Here is a quick preview of the new restaurants, courtesy of Positively Cleveland.



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Update: Cleveland’s Lakefront Howard Johnson's Being Demolished

In July 2008, I wrote here about “Cleveland’s Shameful Eyesore: Lakefront Howard Johnson’s". The old Howard Johnson’s Motor Lodge building has been vacant for years, and despite promises of the property being renovated or re-imagined for other use, nothing had happened. After a few legal battles with property owners and the city, the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court recently removed a restraining order this month that had prevented the demolition. The main building is now under the wrecking ball.

The WJW Fox 8 News facility sits in front of the old Howard Johnson’s, and they have had their cameras trained on the building while the wrecking ball goes at it. (Video below.) It’s a pity the demolition isn't being done by implosion. At the rate this wrecking ball is going at it, the building will still be standing years from now. But, it is good to see that this eyesore will eventually be history.

You can find a few photos of the hotel, past and present day at: “Cleveland’s Shameful Eyesore: Lakefront Howard Johnson’s".






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New WKYC Weather Promo A Bright Forecast for Betsy and Hollie

It’s such a shame that NBC’s airing of Jay Leno at 10:00 PM may be ruining the lead in to WKYC Channel 3 News. Possibly to combat the Leno effect, WKYC is putting out some great promos for its news shows.

One promo that started airing recently deserves special attention. First, it features two of the Cleveland’s favorite meteorologists, Betsy Kling and Hollie Strano. (This is the “we prepare you, not scare you” team, unlike WEWS’ Mark Johnson, who always seems to scare you.) Second, it is reminiscent of the classic, and very popular late 1970s TV ad for WEWS Channel 5 that paired news anchors Ted Henry and Dave Patterson.

Here are the new WKYC weather promo and the classic WEWS promo, for your enjoyment.


WKYC Betsy Kling and Hollie Strano



WEWS 1979 Dave Patterson/Ted Henry Promo



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