Why? Natural Treasures of Ohio!

It’s summer time! What better time to get outside, get active, and enjoy some of the natural beauty Cleveland has to offer? The Nature Conservancy in Ohio is challenging you to do just that with their Natural Treasures of Ohio contest.

From now until August 8, you can enter the Natural Treasures of Ohio contest for a chance to win a 2012 Honda Insight Hybrid or one of five $500 REI gift cards.

To get started, go visit one of Northeast Ohio’s designated Nature Conservancy sites:

Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Edgewater Park

Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve

North Chagrin Reservation

Burton Wetlands Nature Preserve

Morgan Swamp Preserve

Then, snap a photo by that area’s designated landmark, and upload it to the Natural Treasures website.

Photo Credit: ODNR

Oh, and while you’re doing that, have some fun outdoors! The Nature Conservancy has suggestions of fun, family-centered activities to do in each of the areas.

We’re so fortunate in Cleveland to have the Cleveland Metroparks, a national park, and beautiful Lake Erie, all at our doorstep. The Natural Treasures Challenge gives you even more reason to get out and enjoy these spots.

Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks

I’ll be “taking the challenge,” so watch for posts about checking out some of Cleveland’s Natural Treasures. Get outside!

***Disclosure: I was asked by The Nature Conservancy in Ohio to help promote the Natural Treasures of Ohio Challenge. While I will be “taking the challenge” by visiting some of the locations in this post, I will not be entering the contest. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Calming the Mind with Shakthi!

This past Monday, I got together with some of my favorite yoga-loving gals, Alicia from Poise in Parma, Kimberly from Smitten…in Cleveland, and Jessa, for a private yoga session.

Our teacher for the evening was Shakthi Paramasivam. I went into the class not knowing what to expect. We were told the class would be two hours, so I was prepared for an intense physical class that would leave me too sore to practice for a couple of days.

Instead, our practice was much more focused on the mind. Sure, we did poses. And Shakthi showed us some great tips for stronger downward facing dogs, warrior poses, and half-moons.

Image Source – yogajournal.com

The bigger focus, however, was on calming the chatter, letting go of unneeded thoughts, and centering. This is by far the biggest challenge for me. Since beginning to practice yoga, I’ve found myself able to do poses I never thought I’d be capable of doing. I see the changes in my body. But the ultimate goal of yoga is about quieting the mind and reaching a higher state of enlightenment. In yoga, they call this “calming the monkey mind.”

Image Source – wildroseyoga.org

Truthfully, I see less progress for myself in this area. Yes, there are times when my focus doesn’t extend past my mat. But this is usually during a particularly tough flow or a challenging pose. The daily chatter of to-do lists and schedules is gone, but in it’s place are thoughts like “Pull your core in.” “Straighten your legs more.” “Don’t fall out of headstand.”

What I’ve found is that being able to calm the mind is a continuum, both in where you practice and in yourself. I started practicing yoga at Fitworks and I’ll still occasionally take a class there. In my experience, these classes are almost entirely focused on the body. The teacher even tells people they are free to leave during savasana and many do.

At Nishkama Yoga, where I regularly practice now, the focus is more heavily on the mind, with things like meditation and extended time in savasana. But there is still plenty of focus on the body.

In Shakthi’s class, I felt the balance tip even more heavily toward the mind. People will say that savasana is the hardest pose because being still and calming our minds is a true challenge. I get the sense that Shakthi is perpetually in savasana: perpetually calm and centered and in that moment only.

While personally, I think the focus on both mind and body I’ve found at Nishkama works best for me, I also think I could gain a lot of ground in calming my mind by practicing with Shakthi every now and then. Thanks to Shakthi for a great experience and to Jessa for making it happen!

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend a private yoga session with Shakthi at no cost. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Fresh Fork!

This summer, Matthew and I signed up for Fresh Fork Market. Fresh Fork isn’t a traditional CSA (community sustained agriculture). Fresh Fork sources produce, meats, and other products from local growers and creates a weekly bag o’ goodies of the freshest and tastiest products.

Each week, I’ll share what we got in our bag and some of the recipes we tried. Hopefully these will inspire you with either how to use your Fresh Fork ingredients or with new things to try from the grocery. We missed the first two weeks of deliveries while on our honeymoon, so this past Thursday was our first delivery.

What we got:

1 package boneless loin chops, 2 per pack

2 lbs spelt berries

1 bunch spinach

1 head white stem bok choy

1 dozen eggs

1 head baby bok choy

1 bunch beets with tops

1 lb snow peas

1 head Chinese napa cabbage

What we made:

I tried to find recipes or combinations of recipes that maximized the use of our Fresh Fork ingredients.

Grilled Asian Ginger Pork Chops (click here for the recipe)

This was a simple marinade with orange juice, ginger, and chile paste. I was able to let the pork chops soak up the flavor while I was preparing the rest of the meal.

Spicy Bok Choy in Garlic Sauce (click here for the recipe)

An easy stir-fried side dish, although I would probably cut back on the oyster sauce and soy sauce next time, as it was a bit salty for my taste. The spiciness complimented the pork chop marinade nicely.

Spelt Berries (click here for the recipe)

I used the spelt berries as a substitute for brown rice. They were a bit boring and chewy. Some tips: soak them for as long as possible before cooking, put them in the food processor for a bit (hat tip to Smitten…in Cleveland), and cook in broth rather than water.

Our Friday night dinner a la Fresh Fork was pretty tasty:

Paired with Golden Bunches Riesling from Ferrante Winery, it was a great summer meal!

Easy Pasta with Roasted Beets and Spinach (click here for the recipe)

I thought I didn’t like beets. But I love this recipe…maybe it’s the color of the finished product. You roast beets and onions with olive oil and toss with pasta, spinach, ricotta cheese, and lemon juice. I made this on Sunday afternoon to use for lunches during the week, but couldn’t resist a taste when it was completed.

Mixed Vegetables with Spelt Berries (click here for the recipe)

I’m usually one to stick to a recipe, at least the first time around, but for this, I changed up the vegetables and also added shrimp to make this a heartier meal. This was a much more flavorful way to use the spelt berries!

Chocolate-Flecked Mint Ice Cream (from the Williams-Sonoma Sweet Scoops cookbook)

This counts for Fresh Fork because we used our Fresh Fork eggs in the base. This ice cream uses fresh mint leaves and is so flavorful. Although I love chocolate, I would use less than the recipe calls for, though…

Hope these recipes inspire some tasty summer cooking at your place! If you have any suggestions for our Fresh Fork ingredients, please share. Stay tuned for more recipes next week!

Why? Weekends!

Hey, dear readers! How was your weekend? This weekend, Matthew and I had a pretty good balance of scheduled and unscheduled time, which almost never happens in the summer. So, Friday night and Sunday, we took advantage and cooked up a storm with our Fresh Fork goodies. More on that tomorrow…

Friday afternoon, I had the opportunity to attend the Cleveland Indians Social Media Town Hall. The Town Hall participants were social media folks who had been in the Social Suite during last season. The event was held at the Terrace Club and it was beautiful day to look out over the stadium and talk baseball.

Before the Town Hall began, we were treated to lunch, with a buffet featuring everything from salads to roast turkey and vegetables to mac ‘n cheese to, of course, ballpark hot dogs and sausages.

Indians General Manager Mark Shapiro then took the floor to answer questions about trades, attendance, team goals, concession prices, his portrayal in Moneyball, and everything in between.

According to Mark Shapiro, the Indians have four guiding principles that focus everything the team does: baseball, fans, ballpark, and community. Ultimately, the goal is to win the World Series and, while there are interim goals in between now and then, the Indians believe in keeping the large goal always in mind.

The conversation at the Town Hall was candid, funny, and informative. It’s great to know our home team’s General Manager is so engaged with and aware of what the fans think. Mark Shapiro said that he reads every tweet he receives, so let him know what you think: @MarkShapiro. And keep your eyes open for more Indians Town Hall lunches! I know I will!

With baseball-loving gals @TLColson, @LaVieBoheme73, and @EatDrinkClev

Saturday morning, I headed over to Nishkama Yoga for quite the intense yoga sweat-fest. I think my body is still readjusting to not practicing vacation yoga. I couldn’t miss this class, though, because Alicia from Poise in Parma was assisting the teacher as part of her yoga teacher training. Alicia has been chronicling her teacher training journey and, even if you’re not a yogi, it’s a great story of committing yourself to what you truly love. So proud of her and happy that I could do a couple sloppy up-dogs so she could assist me!

After the sweat-fest, I figured I earned myself a couple of these:

I met up with friends at Luchita’s on West 117th Street. This place never disappoints, with tasty margaritas and good food. Aside from eating our body weight in chips and salsa, I also ordered the pollo con crema.

This dish is strips of chicken, onions and jalapenos in a light salsa cream sauce, with rice and black beans. Delicious!

As we were leaving, I saw perhaps the most random lobby vending machine ever:

How can there be 10 different varieties?! That was my weekend, CLE. What’s the most random thing you saw this weekend?

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend the Cleveland Indians Social Media Town Hall due to my participation in the Social Suite last season. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Ken Stewart’s Grille!

Last month, CLEmom and I headed to Akron for a lovely ladies lunch. We went to Ken Stewart’s Grille, one of our favorite restaurants “down south.”

Aren’t we glam?

We started with cocktails, of course. I chose the ginger martini from the restaurant’s creative martini list. The best way I can think to describe this drink is “adult ginger ale.” It was refreshing and tasty, with a great balance of ginger and citrus.

The lunch menu at Ken Stewart’s Grille has a wide selection from Ahi tuna to crab cakes to burgers to  to pasta. We started by splitting the calamari appetizer and the wedge salad.

The calamari is served with mixed peppers and a spicy aioli. The breading is crisp, the calamari is tender, and the aioli adds a nice spicy kick. This is definitely one of CLEmom’s favorite spots for calamari.

The wedge salad is a traditional and tasty choice, packed with crisp bacon and creamy dressing.

For our entree, we split the crab legs. These are not on the lunch menu, but you can snag them for lunch anyway. One of my favorite things about crab legs at Ken Stewart’s Grille is that the restaurant de-shells the crab, so all you have to do is dig in.

Seriously, that’s a half-order of crab legs

For me ,with crab legs, it’s not about the preparation, it’s about the product. Ken Stewart’s consistently has sweet, meaty, delicious crab legs. No butter needed.

Despite all this, we saved room for dessert (probably by taking a lot of crab home with us). We chose the berries shortcake.

My mouth is watering just thinking about this dessert. The shortcake tasted less like pound cake and more like a fluffy, cakelike sugar cookie. Seriously delicious!

Whether for lunch or dinner (the dinner menu is huge and the specials board usually doubles the menu size every night), Ken Stewart’s Grille is worth a trip down 77 South.

What’s your favorite restaurant in the 330?

Why? Pupsicle!

Hi, guys! CLEpup here. It’s been awhile since I stopped by to say hi.

It was so hot to be so fuzzy yesterday. Plus, I had to go see the vet lady. I don’t like that very much. She pinched me three times!

Maybe you had a rough day, too. You know what always makes me feel better? Popsicles on the porch. Here, I’ll show you how to do it:

Happy Summer, everyone!

***This is actually CLEpup, in his YouTube debut. He’s hoping to go viral by noon.***

Why? Upcoming Events!

CLE is heating up…in more ways than one! Check out these smokin’ July events:

Emerging Chefs Last Tango in Tremont

Monday, July 2 at 6pm

Velvet Tango Room

What do you get when you combine Chef Brian Rosander and drink-wizard Paulius in one of Cleveland’s coolest settings? Magic, of course! Emerging Chefs present Last Tango in Tremont, a decadent dinner and drinks experience. There will be live jazz and, weather-permitting, a silent showing of Last Tango in Paris will play in VTR’s courtyard. Velvet Tango Room was just featured in Esquire Magazine as one of the Best Bars in America for 2012. This is sure to be a fabulous evening. Tickets are $75 for drinks, dinner, and entertainment. Click here to purchase.

Noodlebear Cook and Noodlebear Popup

Sunday, July 8 and Sunday, July 15 at 2pm

Noodlecat

Join Noodlecat, the Sawyer family and the Care Bears for two very special, family-centered events. Noodlebear Cook is a Care Bears cooking class with the Sawyers. Tickets are $28 and include admission for one child and two adults, a meet & greet, cooking class, and one child’s lunch. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Noodlebear Popup is a popup restaurant celebrating the Care Bears 30th birthday. Tickets are $33 and include admission for one child and two adults, a meet & greet, and one child’s lunch. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

Both events will include visits from the Care Bears and a brand new Care Bears TV show episode. Plus, $5 of the ticket price from both events will be donated to The Cleveland Foodbank. Personally, I love the Care Bears and had all the stuffed ones back in the day. So, if anyone wants to loan me their kiddo for these days…

Gourmets in the Garden

Wednesdays, July 11, July 18, and July 25 at 6pm

Cleveland Botanical Gardens

Image Source – cbgarden.org

Come watch cooking demonstrations from some of CLE’s hottest chefs in the beautiful setting of the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. There will be cooking demos, samples to nibble, and Q&A with the chefs. July’s chefs are Sergio Abramof of Sergio’s in University Circle, Steve Schimoler of Crop Bistro, and Douglas Katz of Fire Food and Drink. Admission is only $11 (and $5 if you’re a Garden member).

Grapes and Ale

Friday, July 13 at 6:30pm

Progressive Field

It’s baseball, BBQ, and beer, all for a good cause! Our Lady of the Wayside presents a fun fundraiser to benefit its worthwhile social services for those with disabilities and older adults. Stroll through Progressive Field’s Indians Hall of Fame while sampling wine (there will be more than 200 different wines!) and munching BBQ from some of the sauciest restaurants in CLE. There will also be access to the Craft Brew Sport Zone Patio, a silent auction, a live raffle, and musical entertainment. Tickets are $50 for Premiere Grand Tasting admission and $125 for VIP admission. For more details and to purchase tickets, click here.

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend Emerging Chefs Last Tango in Tremont with a single media pass and Grapes and Ale with two Premiere Grand Tasting tickets. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Honeymoon!

Hi, dear readers! I’m back! I hope you enjoyed the guest posts while I was away. It feels like forever since I’ve blogged and while there’s lots of Cleveland goodness coming up on the blog this week, I wanted to recap one last wedding-related thing: the honeymoon!

Matthew and I had a couple requirements for our honeymoon destination: 1. It had to be someplace neither of us had been before. 2. It had to be tropical and beachy and relaxing.

We found the perfect spot at Anse Chastanet resort in St. Lucia. We had a room with an open-air sitting room with a panoramic view of both the mountains and the sea. Waking up to this view every morning isn’t too shabby…

We went on some excursions as well. We toured St. Lucia’s volcano, which is not in danger of exploding, thank goodness! However, all the rocks are still steaming and the pools of mineral water are at boiling temperatures.

We also got to tour the plantation where the fruits and vegetables for the resort are grown. It was like The Culinary Vegetable Institute gone tropical! We got to taste okra, sour fruit, and raw cocoa beans, right from the plants.

My favorite excursion was the half-day sail on the resort’s sailboat.

We’re on a boat…with rum punch!

We got to see more of the beautiful island and do a bit of snorkeling. The waters in St. Lucia are crystal clear and the island is known for fabulous snorkeling and diving.

Squid!

Matthew also took a beginner’s SCUBA course while we were there (I chickened out). Anse Chastanet is a five-star diving resort, so what better place to do it?

Anse Chastanet also had daily yoga classes, which we went to almost every day we were there. Our instructor was great and I actually felt like I maintained a good practice while we were gone.

And since this is me, I can’t forget to tell you about the food! The resort had four restaurants, onc of which changed its menu every night, so there were a lot of delicious options. Some of our favorites included curried goat, mushroom mac n’ cheese topped with a poached egg, and any of the locally-caught fish.

In between all the excursions and yoga-ing and eating, there was plenty of time for lounging on the beach drinking tropical drinks…

…playing in the Caribbean Sea…

…and just generally having a perfect honeymoon!

Not only are we so glad we took a honeymoon trip, but we’re so glad we went right away. It was the perfect chance to unwind, unplug, and have time to just be us. And while that solitude bubble might be burst, real life is pretty amazing too! We’re happy to be back and excited for a fun summer as newlyweds in CLE!

Why? Favorite Cleveland Running Resources!

***A bit of blogkeeping: While I’m off on my honeymoon, I’ve lined up some fabulous Cleveland bloggers to give new Why CLE? perspectives. Today we have Heather from Mile 26 and More, telling us about her favorite resources for runners in Cleveland. Thanks, Heather!***

Hi Why CLE friends! My name is Heather and I blog over at Mile 26 and More. Jen was kind enough to ask for a guest post while she’s out enjoying her time as a honeymooner!

I thought I’d stick to what I know (running!) and talk about my favorite Cleveland running resources.

First of all, you need to know where to find the races in your part of town. My #1 go-to for this is Hermes.

Image Source – hermescleveland.com

Besides having the most intensive list of races, their races are always organized and really well run. You can register online and they always start on time (huge bonus!).

Another great place to look for local races is Active.com. All you have to do is search for Cleveland on their site and you’ll be bombarded with race options! Plus, they have many of the “obscure” races on their site, too (that’s where I found the Great Amazing Race!

So, now that you’ve registered for your race, now you need the perfect shoes.

My two favorite places for shoes are:

Achilles Running

Image Source – achillesrunning.us

Second Sole

Image Source – 2ndsole.com

Both places are small, personalized, and employ knowledgable people to help you find the right shoe for YOU. This is key. Ladies, the one bad thing about running shoes is that they’re not always pretty. Unfortunately, you can’t just buy the pink shoes because they’re pretty – they could end up giving you blisters, or knee problems, or worse! BUT, both stores will order your shoe in a different color if it’s offered. I always take them up on this option since I try to find the girliest shoes possible.

And now that you have the race and the perfect shoes, you need the perfect outfit (like we need a reason to shop, right?)!

Hands down, my #1 go-to store for running clothes is Lululemon.

Image Souce – lululemon

I know that their prices are excessive compared to other running clothes, but their stuff is far superior (in my opinion). Plus, it’s girly and fun! Their running capris and racer back tanks are my most favorite running items ever ever ever.

And you can find cheaper options on their We Made Too Much site!! I’ve bought many of my racer back tanks from this site (my husband cringes every time a new package shows up on our doorstep – hehe). But if you are a “try before you buy” kind of person, the store on Chagrin carries lots of running options, in addition to their yoga clothes.

So, I think I’ve got you covered: race, shoes, and clothes. But my #1 most favorite Cleveland racing resources are the other Cleveland runner bloggers. You can check out my blogroll for some pretty awesome running bloggers. I’m inspired and awed by these people every day – they make me want to be a better, stronger runner. Running has exploded over the past 2 years in Cleveland and I’m proud to be a part of such an amazing community.

Team Heatha

Thanks for letting me guest post, Jen! Hope you’re enjoying beautiful weather, cocktails on the beach, and amazing food (and of course your new hubby)!

Why? CLE Boutiques!

***A bit of blogkeeping: While I’m off on my honeymoon, I’ve lined up some fabulous Cleveland bloggers to give new Why CLE? perspectives. Today we have Kimberly from Smitten…in CLEVELAND, telling us about great hometown boutiques. Thanks, Kimberly!***

Last week, Why CLE married CLE guy and while they’re honeymooning somewhere insanely romantic, I’m here for a little retail therapy. Cleveland has some great shopping. I’m not talking big box retailers or open air shopping centers (though you can count me a fan of the Legacy Village and Crocker Park). I’m talking local boutiques. That create and sell the best fashion handpicked just for you. Today I will highlight my four go-to favorites.

Evie Lou – 2153 Professor Ave – Tremont

The Concept:
Kim Crow has the answer to your fashion conundrums in her charming Tremont boutique. After years of hearing ladies gripe about what was and wasn’t available locally when it came to fashion, (she was the long-time editor of the Plain Dealer’s Style section) she decided to open her own shop answering this call.

It’s Cool Because:
You can tell her what you like (showing off your legs) and what you don’t (showing off your arms) and she’ll steer you in the right direction. She’s spot on when it comes to sizing and knows the fit and detail of everything she carries. Plus she’s fun and witty and always up to chat fashion.

Check Out:
Her amazing jewelry collection and the cool, fun books scattered around the store.

Banyan Tree – 2242 Professor Ave – Tremont

The Concept:
Just down the street from Kim’s shop is the Banyan Tree. Here you’ll find wonderful women’s fashions along with home goods, stationary and the cutest collection of children’s clothing and toys.

It’s Cool Because:
This is the perfect place to hit for a gift. A girlfriend’s birthday? Grab an envelope clutch, pair of earrings or one of those cool CLE pendants. Housewarming party? An array of gorgeous vases and serving pieces awaits. This is a one stop shop of fabulousness.

Check Out:
Their chic yet affordable Figwood line, designed in house and only available here. Be sure to stop by for one of their fun events, (fashion show, hot toddy party) grab a glass of wine and peruse.

Yellowcake – 6500 Detroit Rd, Gordon Square

Image Source – https://www.facebook.com/valerie.mayen

The Concept:
Cleveland’s own Project Runway (season 8) fashionista, Valerie Mayen shows and sells her own designs from this Gordon Square shop.

It’s Cool Because:
Valerie’s fashions are a direct reflection of her personality, mixing fun and function with quirky pops of color. She’s well known for her outerwear and dresses and also has an awesome collection of accessories. Stop in and say  hello, she’s one of the the cutest and kindest!

Check Out:
Her new line MiniCake. The most adorable fashions for the “mini” in your life.

Dredgers Union – 2043 East 4th St, Cleveland

Image Source – http://www.examiner.com/slideshow/the-dredger-s-union-presents-made-the-216

The Concept:
Shopping has come back to downtown and it looks so good. This East 4th Street shop is a local mix of all that is cool. Think Anthropologie-meets-Urban Outfitters (with less ruffles and florals).

It’s Cool Because:
They have an array of clothing and accessories for women and the largest (and best) men’s selections I’ve seen. Their home collection is lust worthy and it’s nearly impossible to leave empty-handed.

Check Out:
Their Dredger’s Union private label. Designed in their lower-level E4th St studio and manufactured in Chicago, this label has the attention to detail that you don’t see anymore. Be sure to stop by when they throw their Made In The 216 party, June 15-17th.