Dear Mom,
From here:
To here:
Photo creit: New Image Photography
And everywhere in between, you’ve been my confidant, my best friend, my biggest cheerleader, and my biggest motivator. I owe so much of who I am to you and I will never stop being grateful.
I love you. Happy Mother’s Day!
Love,
***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win 2 tickets to IPM’s Namaste? Today is the last day to enter. Check it out! Remember, you can tweet daily for additional entries.***
It was another busy weekend of friends and family in the CLE! On Friday evening, Matthew and I met up with Amanda, Scott, Kate, and Brian at Dante. We had won $100 in gift certificates from our Playhouse Square Partners’Trivia Night victory and finally were cashing in our winnings.
I hadn’t been to Dante in awhile and now we were there two weekends in a row! Luckily, there is plenty on the menu to tempt me. Matthew and I started with the Maine lobster spring roll, with butternut squash, shiitake, and ginger sauce. The spring roll had huge chunks of lobster and the delicate vegetable and ginger flavors all stayed distinct enough to identify and enjoy.
For dinner, Matthew had the bone-in strip loin, served with oyster mushrooms and a horseradish potato puree. I had an appetizer size of the pasta special, which was ricotta cavatelli with lamb ragu sauce, and a tasting size of the pasta carbonara with poached egg and pancetta.
Matthew’s steak was absolutely delicious: perfectly cooked and seasoned. I loved the pasta special with tender lamb and hint of mint in the sauce, but felt that the carbonara tasted a bit flat. For dessert, I ordered another special for the evening: a chocolate mousse with sesame crunch and ginger ice cream.
One of the things I love about dining at Dante is getting both Asian and Italian-influenced dishes in one meal. It was a tasty and fun evening!
On Saturday, I went up to John Carroll University to speak to potential incoming JCU freshman on a panel called “JCU: Preparing You for the Future.” The incoming freshman class will be the class of 2017! Having just registered for my 10-year reunion, that number gave me pause. But, I got over that and was happy to be able to talk about the role JCU played and still plays in my life.
From there, I continued the college theme for the day by attending a christening party for my college friend Tracy’s daughter, Nina. It’s hard to believe that a bunch of us who met as freshman are now celebrating children’s lives milestones together.
The christening party was held at Gambitta’s Party Center and was quite the affair. Tracy’s husband Luca comes from a large Italian family, so the parties tend to be big, filling, and fun. And Nina, the star of the show, was a very well-behaved and entirely adorable guest of honor!
On Sunday, my friend Katie and I started the day at Harmony Yoga for a power vinyasa class, where I saw this, which I just love:
Oh yoga studio chalkboard, you are so full of wisdom!
Later that day, we celebrated Easter with Matthew’s side of the family, a week late so everyone could attend. As usual, it was a blast playing with our nieces and spoiling them with Easter treats. The weather was so nice and we took the kids outside for an Easter egg hunt and lots of drawing with chalk.
I love her face. Pure amazement at the wonder of the Easter egg.
How was your weekend? Are you still involved, formally or informally, with your college?
***Disclosure: I am the VP of Special Initiatives for the John Carroll University Cleveland Alumni Chapter and a member of the Class of 2003 Reunion Committee. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***
***A bit of blogkeeping: Today is the last day to enter my giveaway to win 2 tickets to Market at the Foodbank. Check it out! Remember, you can tweet daily for more entries!***
It was a wonderful weekend of friends and family celebrations! On Friday morning, I went to a butt-kicking vinyasa flow at Nishkama Yoga. I don’t get to practice at Nishkama as much as I would like, so I was happy to take advantage of one of my days off before I start my new job to get to class there (more on the new job tomorrow).
I spent the rest of the day on Friday learning how to make nut roll and poppyseed roll with Mom. This is a traditional Eastern European holiday dessert and I’m all about tradition at the holidays.
For my first try, I was pretty happy with the results and, from the way they were gobbled up, everyone else was, too!
Friday evening, Matthew and I met up with the usual suspects to fete our lovely friend Kimberly for her birthday. We started with the ridiculously well-priced Friday wine tasting at Wine and Design. Two delicious wines for $5? Yes, please!
Then it was off to dinner at Dante. Matthew and I decided to share a little bit of a lot of things on the menu. I love Dante’s options of tasting or appetizer-sized portions, which gives you a chance to taste even more dishes.
We thoroughly enjoyed everything we ordered: the wild mushroom and baked brie tartlet, the Hawaiian tuna tartare, the “chunky” soup with lobster, potato, and leeks, the green spaghetti, the three-cheese polenta, and the black squid ink risotto.
Since Kimberly and Chris are Dante regulars, Chef Boccuzzi treated us to quite the dessert spread on the house. I was so blissed out, I don’t remember the exact names of most of the dishes, but there was a chocolate and orange meringue, baklava with pistachio and cherries and cardamom ice cream, a chocolate banana crepe, and a heavenly s’mores-like sundae.
It was a fabulous evening befitting a fabulous friend! Kimberly is truly one of the sweetest, most caring, funniest people I know and I am so blessed to have her in my life! I hope this year is her best yet!
Saturday morning brought more yoga, this time at Harmony Yoga. Then, it was into holiday prep mode. I hosted my parents, grandfather, and Matthew’s father for a traditional Holy Saturday dinner of kielbasi and sauerkraut.
We got our kielbasi from Pinzone’s Market Fresh Meats, which is one of my go-to stands at the West Side Market. Tradition is tasty!
On Sunday, we went to Easter Mass and had dinner with my parents and grandfather.
I also broke my Lenten no-sweets fast (Friday night’s dessert bonanza excluded) with some yummy chocolate from Malley’s. All in all, it was a great weekend with some of our favorite people!
How was your weekend? Do you celebrate Easter? What are your traditions?
So, I told you about my crazy winery Saturday, but what about the rest of the weekend? Oh, there was plenty to keep me busy those days too! On Friday evening, I met up with Jess and Sarah for dinner at Deagan’s Kitchen and Bar.
I was in the mood for a little bit of everything, so I ended up with the deviled eggs, the pretzel with beer/gruyere dip, and the seared tuna.
Deagan’s is always a go-to spot for good food, good beer, and a relaxed atmosphere. I had such a nice time chatting with Jess and Sarah, too. Yay for new blogger pals!
Since I already told you about my Saturday shenanigans, we’ll jump right to Sunday and St. Patrick’s Day. We had a two-tiered plan to celebrate. First, Matthew and I met up with Beth and Enzo to take in all the downtown Cleveland craziness. We started at Flannery’s Pub.
It was here that Beth and I realized we hadn’t been out together for St. Patrick’s Day in 10 years! Yikes! We had some catching up to do. From Flannery’s we headed to Black Dog Kitchen and Bar for some crazy cheap Reuben sandwiches ($6!) and beers ($3!).
We ended our downtown Cleveland crawl at the newly-opened Parnell’s Pub near Playhouse Square.
On the way home, Matthew and I did a turn around downtown Willoughby. We rocked out to The Cleveland Barflies at Willoughby Brewing Company while enjoying a Peanut Butter Cup Coffee porter.
Our next stops at The Wild Goose and Frank & Tony’s Place were less successful, as the staff were overwhelmed with the crowds and beer and food were not really all that available.
All in all though, it was a fun St. Patrick’s Day and we had our share of green beer and luck o’ the Irish!
How was your weekend? Did you celebrate St. Paddy’s Day?
Spring is almost here! Can you feel it in the air?! Here are some great upcoming events to put a spring in your step, too:
St. Patrick’s Day
Sunday, March 17
Everywhere!
Image Source – cleveland.about.com
We know how to do St. Patrick’s Day right in Cleveland! Maybe because we’re so cooped up in the winter. For a run-down of great green events, from the parade to kegs and eggs, check out this post from Flee to the Cleve. Have fun and be safe!
cleveland.com Tweet-Up
Wednesday, March 20 at 5pm
Collection Auto Club at Progressive Field
Image Source – cleveland.com
Join cleveland.com and lots of your tweeps for a tweet-up in the new Collection Auto Club seating area at Progressive Field, a 5,000-square foot lounge next to the Press Box (If you click the link, Hammy will talk to you. WAAAY BACK!). You’ll get to taste some new concession items for the Indians upcoming season, as well as receiving 2 complimentary drink tickets. For more information and to RSVP (there is limited free parking if you sign up early), click here.
Cleveland Foodbank YP Pantry Happy Hour
Thursday, March 21 at 5:30pm
Noodlecat
Image Source – clevelandfoodbank.org
The Cleveland Foodbank YP Pantry wants you to enjoy one of Cleveland’s best happy hours to benefit one of Cleveland’s best organizations. Enjoy Noodlecat‘s regular happy hour specials, plus bring 3 cans of food or a $5 donation to the Cleveland Foodbank to receive 1 complimentary drink ticket. You can also sign up that evening to become a member of the YP Pantry. Click here to RSVP.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake
Saturday, March 23 at 12:30pm
Brunswick Zone
Image Source – bowlbigforkids.org
Sign up with your friends, raise $50 per bowler, and bowl away to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County. For registering, you receive one game of bowling, a t-shirt, refreshments and snacks, and a chance to win some great prizes. For more information and to register, click here.
Dyngus Day
Monday, April 1
“The Polish Triangle”
Image Source – facebook.com
It’s Dyngus Day: a bonanza of Polish awesomeness! From DJ Kishka to pierogi to a parade to Miss Dyngus, you cannot miss this festive day. From Tremont to the Shoreline District to the Flats, many of your favorite restaurants and bars are participating. For a full list of events, locations, and specials, click here or check out the Dyngus Day Cleveland Facebook page.
Cleveland’s Finest Hors D’Oeuvre Contest
Thursday, April 4 at 6pm
Terrace Club at Progressive Field
Image Source – facebook.com
Join Our Lady of the Wayside for this tasty event! Nibble away and then cast your ballot for Cleveland’s finest hors d’oeuvre. Among the competitors will be chefs from Battery Park Wine Bar, Corleone’s Ristorante and Bar, John Q’s Steakhouse, and the Zack Bruell restaurant group. Tickets are $80 and proceeds benefit Our Lady of the Wayside’s mission of helping those with developmental disabilities. For more information on the event and to purchase tickets, click here.
Playhouse Square Partners Bowl-a-Rama
Thursday, April 11 at 6pm
Mahall’s 20 Lanes
Image Source – playhousesquare.org
Playhouse Square Partners wants you to let the good times roll at Mahall’s 20 Lanes, Cleveland’s hot new bowling spot. There will be a happy hour at 6pm and bowling begins at 7pm. Tickets are $25 and include 3 hours of bowling, shoe rental, food and one drink ticket. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Microsoft Retail Store Grand Opening
Saturday, April 13 at 11am
Beachwood Place Mall
Image Source – microsoftstore.com
Come check out all the tech goodness available at the grand opening of the Microsoft Retail Store at Beachwood Place Mall and score tickets to see Kelly Clarkson perform! The store opens at 11am and the first hundred people in line not only receive the first peek at the Microsoft wonderland, but also two free premier viewing tickets for the Kelly Clarkson concert to happen that afternoon at 4pm. One of those tickets gets you in to not only the concert, but also a meet and greet with Kelly! The next 1,000 people in line will receive 2 premier viewing tickets to the concert. For more information, click here.
What upcoming events are you most looking forward to as we welcome Spring?
***Disclosures: I am a member of the council for the Cleveland Foodbank YP Pantry. I was invited by Microsoft to attend the grand opening of the Microsoft Retail Store. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***
***A bit of blogkeeping: Happy birthday to my wonderful, fabulous, best friend of a Mom! I love you!***
You know those restaurants that just become special occasion spots? Matthew and I have always felt that way about Match Works Tavern. I’m not sure how we discovered it, but we’ve celebrated an anniversary, a birthday, and our rehearsal dinner there. We love the food and the atmosphere and the people.
So, it seemed an easy choice when deciding where to go for Valentine’s Day to return to one of our favorites. We started out with sharing the Maryland crab cake, with a spicy chorizo hash underneath.
The chorizo hash added texture and heat that you don’t expect from a crab cake and really elevated this dish.
For entrees, Matthew chose the Berkshire pork chop, with Guinness mustard sauce and a side of bacon mac ‘n cheese. Mmm, piggy!
The pork was tender, the mustard sauce added just the right sour bite, and you had to hold me back from stealing all his mac ‘n cheese. Delicious!
I chose the beef short rib, with whipped potatoes and carrot emulsion. Match Works was featured in Cleveland Magazine in 2011 as having the best short ribs in town, so this has become my go-to order in our go-to place.
I know I love the short rib, so what really delighted me last night was the somewhat spicy, gingery carrot emulsion and the large mushroom caps with the rich beef gravy. The “little” things on the plate matter just as much as the “big” things!
Denise, one of the owners, graciously treated us to dessert after catching up with us on married life and reminiscing about our rehearsal dinner. I chose the classic creme brulee and Matthew had a warm cobbler-like dish with pineapple, mango, and coconut caramel, topped with vanilla bean ice cream.
This dessert was like a taste of summertime (or somewhere tropical). All in all, it was another wonderful meal at Match Works Tavern. Anywhere I can relax, reminisce, and look forward with my husband is a great place to celebrate Valentine’s Day to me!
Where is your go-to special occasion location? I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
The Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and Museum thinks Love Rocks and I happen to agree with them! To celebrate Valentine’s Day, from February 13-17, the Rock Hall is highlighting items in their collection that are part of a love story, such as handwritten lyrics to The Beach Boys’ song “God Only Knows,” production notes for U2′s “Pride (In the Name of Love),” and more.
Speaking of U2, if you click here and present the image at that link on your smartphone, you can see “U2 3D” for free with the purchase of museum admission.
There will be special Valentine’s photos for purchase, plus your Rock Hall admission wristband will save you 15% at the Hard Rock Cafe Cleveland on both food and merchandise. So you can have a fun date, complete with a movie, a meal, and a keepsake!
Want to see for yourself that Love Rocks? You can purchase tickets to Love Rocks online or you can enter to win two tickets right here, good any day of Love Rocks (until February 17)!
Here’s how to enter (leave a SEPARATE comment for each entry):
1. Leave a comment telling me what song best describes your upcoming Valentine’s Day. Need some inspiration? Check out the Rock Hall’s Inductee Valentine’s Playlist on Spotify.
2. Follow both @rock_hall and @WhyCLE on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you’re following.
3. Tweet this phrase and leave a comment letting me know you tweeted: I want to see how #LoveRocks at the @rock_hall thanks to @WhyCLE and you can too: http://wp.me/p1fb9r-1iD
You can tweet daily for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.
The giveaway will close at 11:59pm on Wednesday, February 13 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, February 14. Good luck! Love Rocks!
And for chances to win a Duet Membership to the Rock Hall, check out Cleveland’s a Plum‘s and I Heart Cleveland‘s giveaways.
***Disclosure: I was asked by the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame and Museum to help promote Love Rocks. In exchange, I will receive two tickets to give away. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***
Tuesday evening marked the third annual Ohio Blogging Association meetup at Whole Foods Market Cedar Center. This year’s theme was “Valentine’s Chocolate 3-Way” with tons of tasty morsels to try.
Whole Foods diva Lisa Sands explains the delights awaiting us.
We started with some Wedding Cuvee bubbly and then moved to chicken enchiladas with mole sauce, white rice, and a corn and black bean salad.
I’m not usually a huge fan of mole sauce, but this was delicious, with a kiss of dark chocolate. From there, we sampled Sexual Chocolate wine, a ridiculously tasty blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, and Petite Syrah. To go along with this decadent wine, we had some decadent chocolates courtesy of Sweet Designs.
Owner and chocolatier Ines Rehner told us with pride about her own special chocolate blend used for her creations. We tasted chocolate-covered strawberries, figs stuffed with truffle chocolate and dipped in dark chocolate, and varieties of chocolate bark, including pumpkin seed and sea salt, blueberry and almond, and crystallized ginger and walnut. Everything was amazing!
Needless to say, we were all very excited when Ines presented us with gift certificates for a half-pound of chocolates from her shop. Some lucky folks even won Sweet Designs chocolate to take home right away.
PIP Husband’s Valentine’s shopping is done!
There were more adult beverages to try too, including Samuel Smith Chocolate Stout and a chocolate liquor. Stuffed and on a sugar high, we left with cups of Mexican hot chocolate to brace against the cold and snow.
Much thanks to Poise in Parma for organizing this event and Whole Foods and Sweet Designs for all the tasty goodies! For a list of all the great events coming up at Whole Foods, including an Argentine wine dinner and in-store Twitter chats, click here.
It’s hard to believe we’re in the third year of Ohio Blogging Association meetups, with fun, friends, and (very often) food. I always have such a great time at these events and have made and continue to make so many wonderful friends.
In attendance on Tuesday were bloggers/tweeters from:
@BeautyNewzFlash (and husband)
Clue Into Cleveland (and husband Scott)
It’s a Hero (and husband Chad and baby Ari)
Lake County Visitors Bureau (and boyfriend Steve)
Poise in Parma (and husband Hans and Aunt Kathy)
Smitten in Cleveland (and husband Chris)
The next Ohio Blogging Association event will be on Tuesday, March 19 at 6pm. We will be getting a tour and volunteering at MedWish, giving back to our community. Hopefully you can join us for what is sure to be a rewarding experience! Click here to RSVP.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! It’s the time to awaken all your senses and get the romance flowing. Here are some Valentine’s events that seem to speak to each of the senses:
SIGHT
Image Source – greaterclevelandaquarium.com
Valentine’s Day: That’s A Moray at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium certainly will tempt your tastebuds, but getting to dine under the sea while surrounded by the aquarium’s creatures is a unique visual treat. Tickets are $90 per person (you save $10 if you’re a passholder) and include a three-course dinner, a glass of wine, and passed hors d’oeuvres, as well as a talk on seahorses. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
TASTE
The Greenhouse Tavern knows the way to your sweetie’s heart. With a unique and tantalizing menu that includes caviar, oysters, heart, and chocolates, you’ll be feeling the power of the aphrodisiacs by course two! This nine-course dinner is $65 per person, with optional $35 per person drink pairings. Reservations are accepted from 5pm-10pm on Valentine’s Day. Call 216-443-0511 to reserve.
SMELL
Image Source – lpsinc.com
One of the most evocative senses is that of smell. So, get your nose twitching with some delicious cooking smells at the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking. The Valentine’s Day couples classes are already sold out, but there are a lot of other great options including a Valentine’s dinner at Sappore and a Valentine’s luncheon. Check out the schedule here.
TOUCH
Image Source – harmonyyogastudios.com
It’s hot and sweaty and your twisting your body into unusual positions and it’s yoga, people! Get your om on with your honey at Harmony Yoga‘s Valentine’s Day Couples Yoga on Saturday, February 16. An hour-and-a-half beginners-level class is followed by wine and appetizers. Cost is $50 per couple. Click here for more information and to register.
SOUND
Image Source – kenston.k12.oh.us
There aren’t many places in Cleveland more romantic than Severance Hall. On Valentine’s Day, the Cleveland Orchestra will present two of Beethoven’s symphonies, conducted by Herbert Bloomstedt. Enjoy beautiful music in a beautiful setting with your beautiful special someone! Tickets range from $31 to $125. For more information about the show and to purchase tickets, click here.
However you celebrate, having a sense-stimulating Valentine’s Day!
***A bit of blogkeeping: I feel like Oprah today. You get Pure Barre! And YOU get Pure Barre! And YOU get Pure Barre! Thanks for the overwhelming response to the Pure Barre giveaway and congrats to the randomly-selected winners. If you are a winner, check your email and reply by the end of the day or a new winner will be selected.
Grand Prize Winner: tabitha (comment #103)
Second Prize Winner: Deanna (comment #23)
Third Prize Winners: Kat Houston (comment #29), Jacqueline (comment #71), and Smitten…in Cleveland (comment #136)
If you didn’t win, you can still sign up for classes to check out Pure Barre when the studio opens on February 1. Click here for more information.***
Speaking of being healthy in the new year, the healthy, natural eating continues for us thanks to our Fresh Fork Market winter share.
What We Got:
1 whole chicken
1/2 lb kale
2 acorn squash
1 lb brussel sprouts
1 lb watermelon radishes
2 lbs turnips
1 lb onions
1 lb carrots
1 lb beets
1 dz eggs
8 oz pepper havarti
Braising greens/salad mix
What We Made:
Note: many of these recipes were made with ingredients from previous week’s bags. Click here for what was in those bags.
Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry (click here for the recipe)
This made a quick weeknight dinner. We substituted pork for the chicken, which worked out well. I served this over saffron rice. With the red pepper flakes and hoisin sauce, this recipe had a bit of a kick.
Restaurant-Style Filet Mignon (click here for the recipe)
Matthew and I stayed in and made a nice dinner at home to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Since it was so cold and snowy, I didn’t want to send him outside to make our steaks on the grill. So when I stumbled on this recipe on Pinterest, I figured I’d give it a try. The butter and garlic for the compound butter are from Fresh Fork. This recipe made some seriously tasty steaks. We also had Broiled Lobster Tails to complete our homemade surf ‘n turf.
Garlic Roasted Potatoes (click here for the recipe)
This simple recipe made a tasty side dish to go with our steak and lobster. Plus, the potatoes, steak, and lobster all get the same temperature oven, making cooking even easier.
Sauerkraut Casserole (click here for the recipe)
Image Source – dreamstime.com
We left out the sausage and served this sauerkraut recipe with the traditional New Year’s Day pork roast and dumplings. Really tasty, with a hint of sweetness.
How have you been using your Fresh Fork winter share?
