Why? Emerging Chefs Last Tango in Tremont!

There are black holes in my CLE exploration: spots I keep meaning to get to, but somehow never have. Velvet Tango Room was one of those spots. That is why I was so excited when Emerging Chefs and Chef Brian Rosander teamed up with Velvet Tango Room’s drink wizard Paulius to put on Last Tango in Tremont.

Matthew and I snagged a table on the patio and prepared to enjoy the beautiful evening.

We were soon joined by friends Kimberly, Amanda, and Scott.

Our first course was a chilled pea bisque, topped with crab, served with a White Lotus cocktail. The pea bisque was delicious and the delicate, flakey crab was a great topping that complimented the soup without overpowering it. I would definitely order this dish off a menu!

The White Lotus was sweet and citrusy. I found I liked the soup and the cocktail each better individually than paired.

Before our second course, Chef Rosander explained that each course would be served chilled to make you slow down, think about the flavors, and really appreciate the food.

Our second course was Toulouse sausage, served with bleu cheese, and Aligot, Purple Majesty, and American potatoes. The course was paired with a Manhattan.

This is runner-up for my favorite course of the night. Even cool, the sausage and potatoes were tasty and the bleu cheese was not overpowering. I’ll take other people at the table’s word for the Manhattan: personally, bourbon is not for me, but those who like it loved this cocktail!

Third course was my favorite course of the evening (up until that point). It was a chicken mousseline with tomato tarte, paired with the Apricot Lady cocktail.

The flavors and textures in this dish were spot on. The tomato and basil complimented the mousseline and the dish was a perfect for a summer evening: not too heavy, but still satisfying.

The Apricot Lady was light and tart and slightly frothy. Also completely perfect for a summer evening on the patio!

Next up was poached pork belly with brandy clafoutis, paired with a Berkshire Martinez cocktail. Knowing this dish would be served cold, I was a bit apprehensive.

The dish looked a bit like a funnel cake and had the texture of a chewy bread pudding. I did not taste pork belly really at all and the texture just made it a tougher dish to enjoy. I think the concept is interesting, but serving it cool did not help the flavors. The Berkshire Martinez was quite tasty and definitely should earn a 5+ on Velvet Tango Room’s strength-of-drink rating.

Our dessert course tied with the chicken mousseline/Apricot Lady as my favorite course of the night. A ginger fruit tartare with rosemary cream catalana and rosemary chocolate ganache was paired with a White Russian.

The fruit, the cream, the decadent chocolate, and the ginger bite blended perfectly to create a not-to-sweet, not-too-heavy dessert. I almost licked the bowl. The White Russian was the perfect pairing, with its cinnamon spice.

Velvet Tango Room specially makes its ice cubes so they chill your drink but don’t melt. Seriously, on an 80+ degree night, my ice didn’t water down my drink a bit!

It was a tasty evening of good food, good drinks, and good friends in a Cleveland hotspot I’m so glad I finally made it to and can’t wait to return!

The next Emerging Chefs event takes place Friday, August 3 at Saint Rocco’s Church when Chef Jeff Fisher puts on Sagra di San Rocco. Tickets are $50 and are on sale now!

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend Emerging Chefs Last Tango in Tremont with a single media pass. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Weekends!

Can you believe it’s July already?! This summer is flying by! Probably because the weekends are so busy. This one was no exception.

Friday night, Matthew and I headed over to Tammy from MissWineOH and Frank’s place for dinner. If there was ever any doubt, have dinner with someone in the wine business. You’ll start your evening with bubbles and brie…

…finish with Ferrante Winery ice wine and have about three other varieties of wine in between.When dinner comes straight from the West Side Market, it gets even better. We had Hawaiian ono, black quinoa, and grilled asparagus. Delicious!

For dessert, I made a black raspberry sage-honey tart, which you’ll hear all about in tomorrow’s Fresh Fork post.

View of Tremont from Tammy and Frank’s rooftop patio

It was a fun night with good friends, good food, and good wine!

On Saturday, we had a birthday cookout for Matthew’s Great Uncle Bill, who is turning 92! Uncle Bill still drives his RV to Florida every winter and goes out perch fishing on Lake Erie in the summer. I hope I’m still as active as he is when I’m 92!

On Sunday, we had a not-92-year-old birthday BBQ for the fabulous Alicia from Poise in Parma.

There were bubbles (both kinds)…

…plenty of food, including a scrumptious birthday cake made by Sarah from Cooker Girl…

 

…the VP of Fuzz…

…the promised utkatasana on Broadview Road punishment for birthday presents…

…and plenty of good friends!

What a perfect way to spend the afternoon!

Sunday evening, CLEmom and I headed to the Neil Diamond concert at Quicken Loans Arena. My love for Neil Diamond goes way back…my mom would listen to him all the time when I was a kid and, at 5, I knew all the words to his songs.

Me at 5, expressing my love for Neil Diamond

While he can be kind of cheesy, CLEmom and I have so much fun at his shows because the music is this great memory for both of us.

Me at 30, expressing my love for Neil Diamond

And who doesn’t love singing “Sweet Caroline” at the top of their lungs? I might be voiceless this Monday morning, but it was worth it!

How was your weekend, CLE? What new answers to Why CLE did you discover?

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? 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.

Why? Weekends, Part II!

Continuing the saga of a busy CLE weekend…

On Saturday evening, Kimberly from Smitten…in Cleveland, her husband, Matthew and I met up in Tremont for a quick bite before the Fashion Week Cleveland GlamJam Party. We chose the bar at Lago for appetizers and drinks.

Since it was Cinco de Mayo, I had the strawberry jalapeno mojito. Holy spicy! This drink really had a kick to it, but at the same time was refreshing.

For eats, Matthew and I split the roasted vegetable pizza and the calamari.

The pizza had carmelized onions, tomatoes, olives, and goat cheese. It was tasty and not too heavy, although I would have preferred the crust a bit crispier.

The calamari came sauteed in a tomato, basil and garlic broth. I could have eaten the entire bowl and drank the broth. The flavors were subtle and delicious. Our server brought us bread to soak up every drop of the broth. This appetizer is a must-order at Lago!

We then headed to the Fashion Week Cleveland GlamJam party. Going in to this event, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. The party was held in the Halle Building. There were displays from some of the Fashion Week designers, as well as wearable and display artwork.

The Nosh Box and Fired Up Taco Truck were selling food just outside the doors to the party.

I also got to sit in the Gucci Fiat and have a JLo moment. My love don’t cost a thing…except maybe a Gucci Fiat…

Overall, though, I was surprised with how commercial the party was. There were people from Lia Sophia hard-selling jewelry both inside and outside the party. Pro-tip: don’t fill out the contest entry form with your phone number or someone from Lia Sophia will call you on a Sunday to try to host a home party. Most of the tables at the party were selling something, from chocolate to artwork to clothing. It felt less Fashion Week and more IX Center tradeshow.

Again, I wasn’t sure what to expect and perhaps this is what GlamJam has always been. I’m looking forward to the Runway Shows this coming weekend in the hopes for fashion with less of a hard-sell atmosphere.

On Sunday, Matthew and I spent part of our afternoon checking out “The Avengers.” Aside from just enjoying the movie, which was funnier than I thought it would be, it was amazing to see so much of Cleveland on the big screen. There’s been some Twitter chatter about whether anyone outside of Cleveland knows or cares that parts of the movie were filmed here. Well, even if they don’t, we do and can be proud of it!

Have you seen “The Avengers?” Did you pick out all the Cleveland spots?

***Disclosure: I was asked by Fashion Week Cleveland to help promote GlamJam by running a ticket giveaway and blogging about the event. In exchange, I received 2 complimentary tickets to GlamJam. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Weekends!

Since this past weekend was all kinds of busy and crazy, I split my usual weekend recap into 3: yesterday’s TEDxCLE post, today’s recap of showing my dear friend and bridesmaid Jen around CLE, and tomorrow’s bridal shower recap. Phew!

I was so excited when Jen told me she’d be coming into town for my bridal shower. Not only would I get time with a friend I don’t see often enough, but I would get to show off Cleveland! After picking Jen up at the airport, I decided to start our day with some yummy eats. We headed to BonBon Pastry and Cafe.

We started out with the cinnamon donuts: little puffs of lightly fried dough covered in cinnamon sugar and served with fruit compote, chocolate, and marscapone for dipping. At only $2.50, these were a tasty deal! Jen had the bacon, bacon, and eggs and I went with the granola crisp.

The bacon, bacon, and eggs has not only regular bacon, but pork belly as well, along with eggs and focaccia bread. The granola crisp was delicious: hot apple cubes, granola, nuts, dried cranberries, some chocolate chips, and a bit of marscapone on the top, served warm. It was hearty and satisfying.

BonBon is a great spot for a tasty weekend brunch, while giving you the chance to show off the West Side Market, Great Lakes Brewing, and Sam McNulty’s expanding empire.

On Saturday evening, Jen, Matthew and I headed to the Greater Cleveland Aquarium.

For those of you who remember going to the Improv and Howl at the Moon, it’s pretty interesting to now see fish and families occupying the same space. I always thought of aquariums being very open and light, but this winds you through the historic brick hallways of the Powerhouse, with tanks scattered throughout.

Lobsters from below

Many of the tanks in the “Ohio” and “Exotic Freshwater” areas are open, letting you get up close and personal with animals like this turtle.

One of the cool exhibits as you work through the “Coastal Region” is the petting tank, where you can pet sharks, stingrays, and various tiny sea critters.

I may have jumped about ten feet when I touched a stingray! My other favorite exhibit was the shark reef tunnel where fish and sharks swim all around you.

It’s great that Cleveland has a stand-alone aquarium and hopefully the popularity will only increase as the Flats continues its revitalization.

After the aquarium, it was off to dinner. We were a bit early for our reservations, so we popped into Treehouse for a round of drinks.

Mmm...Stoli Doli...

One of the things I love most about Tremont is how many great locations are in such close proximity to each other.

Jen told me to pick wherever I wanted for dinner, thus beginning the “what place do I most want to show off” challenge. There are so many great restaurants in CLE and I could only choose one. So, I went with a place where I love not only the food, but the atmosphere and the neighborhood: Lolita.

We started our meal with the duck meatballs, a fantastic call on Jen’s part.

The tomato sauce was spicy and provided a nice bite to accompany the juicy meatballs. I decided to keep the duck theme going and ordered the duck confit.

My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish! The duck was fall-apart tender, yet the skin was deliciously crispy. It was served on top of butternut squash puree, with cherries and a mustard vinaigrette. I of course chose the fried brussel sprouts as my side. It was all so good. So very, very good.

Jen and Matthew also enjoyed their entrees: the macaroni with goat cheese, rosemary, and chicken for Jen and the swordfish special for Matthew.

Unable to pass up dessert, Jen and I each chose the chocolate raspberry pot de creme and Matthew chose the coconut lime cake.

From the decadent to the refreshing, our desserts were delicious! Lolita lived up to all my praise and made me even more convinced it is my go-to dining destination.

All in all, it was a pretty perfect day showing off CLE (and getting to visit some of my favorite spots too). Where do you love to take out-of-towners to show off our city? If you could only pick one dinner spot, where would it be?

Why? Coming Back to CLE!

***A bit of blogkeeping: While I’m off in Cabo having some fun in the sun, I’ve arranged guest posts from some fabulous bloggers to keep you entertained. Today’s post comes from Julie at Wearing Mascara. Thanks, Julie!***

Hello friends!

Thank you Jen for allowing me to guest post today. I blog at Wearing Mascara and have been blogging since 2008.

The unique part about my blog is that while I went to high school and college near Cleveland, I have also lived in three other cities. Born in Pittsburgh (shhhh), I moved near Akron, Ohio when I was 13. I stayed in the area through college and finally packed up and moved to Washington, DC for graduate school. I stayed in the DC-area for 3 years, moved to Pittsburgh for an internship, and took my first job in Lancaster, PA last year. This past summer, I decided to move back to Cleveland to live closer to my family.

I moved back to the area in August and have officially been living in Lakewood (a West Side urban/suburban suburb of Cleveland) since November.

I am here to tell you how much I love Cleveland. So often, I hear people slam Cleveland. We are constantly in the top 10 lists of “Worst Cities for… {fill in the blank}” and I’m sick of it.

Here are my top seven reasons that I am defending Cleveland.

 Four Seasons

Yes, the winter can be difficult, with snow, ice, and cold, but we have four seasons, four distinct seasons. I hate when people say “Cleveland weather sucks” because it doesn’t. Have you ever been here in the summer? It’s beautiful. Most of the time the weather is not too hot and quite often, you can enjoy a cool breeze along Lake Erie. The fall here is gorgeous, too. The colors and so vivid that you feel like you’re in a watercolor painting.

 Events

A few years ago, they hosted women’s NCAA basketball championship and last year, Cleveland was one of the sites that hosted the first and second round of the men’s NCAA basketball tournament. We have Blossom, an outdoor music center, which hosts music festivals all year round, including country music festivals and The Warped Tour. The Quicken Loans Arena (The Q) hosts events throughout the year such as the circus, concerts, along with being a home venue for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Lake Erie Monsters.

On a personal note, ever since I moved back to Cleveland, I hear about events constantly through restaurants and local venues. My calendar is much more jam-packed than when I lived in DC, Pittsburgh, and Lancaster when it comes to local events.

 Drivability and Traffic

Different highways give you easy access to and from the city of Cleveland and it’s surrounding suburbs. There are many alternate routes you can take depending on your personal driving preferences without a lot of traffic. Looking back at my last few months of living here, I cannot think of one time I was stuck in traffic. Still, in the mornings there is rush hour but it pales in comparison to my driving experiences in both DC and Pittsburgh (hello, construction). Basically, our rush hour traffic is DC’s middle-of-the-day traffic.

 Lake Erie

Lake Erie is the northern border to the city of Cleveland. It’s one of the 5 great lakes and the shallowest of the five. The water is generally warmer too. Only an hour and a half drive and a ferry ride away, you can find the Lake Erie Islands, which is a fun trip to take with friends or family. There are free beaches you can access throughout the Cleveland area.

 Wide Range of Areas

In Cleveland, there are a ton of different neighborhoods and areas to live in. Whether you’re looking for a family feel or a young adult scene. You have areas like Little Italy and Chinatown. The Cleveland Metro Parks is a fun visitor’s attraction that stretches throughout the area. There are golf courses located within the Metro Parks as well as other courses in the area too. Really, Cleveland can offer you any type of atmosphere you crave.

Cost of Living

The cost of living is phenomenal. Even compared to Lancaster, PA, Cleveland is a very cheap place to live. This is such an important part of this list considering the current economy. I also love that you can have a cheap night out.

Restaurants

The restaurants in Cleveland are as diverse as the people. You can find Thai, Ethiopian, Indian, Chinese, etc and they are all very good. In addition, you find innovative restaurants such as Fahrenheit in Tremont, Noodlecat, and the Michael Symon restaurants (such as B Spot and Lola). So far (knock on wood), every restaurant I have tried has been excellent.

When you visit these restaurants, you feel a vibe that can only be found in Cleveland. The people who run these restaurants are full of pride. Pride for their food, and pride for this city.

Why? Ohio Blogging Wine Tasting!

One of the things I love most about CLE is how, even in areas you think you know well, there’s usually some hidden gem of a place just waiting to become your new favorite spot. That was certainly true for me at last night’s Ohio Blogging Association meet-up at Wine and Design in Tremont.

Tucked next to St. Theodosius Orthodox Cathedral is this cozy little shop filled with wine, fabulous decor (I had to physically stop myself from buying one of the paintings and just about everything else in there), and Greg, one of the nicest people you’ll meet.

Greg and Dan (who we didn’t get to meet, but I hear is just as sweet as Greg) kindly allowed Wine and Design to be overrun by bloggers for our monthly Ohio Blogging Association meet-up. Tammy of Miss WineOH was our guide for a 6-wine tasting, complimented by some tasty munchies.

Soprasetta on crostini, hummus from The South Side, and Campbell's Dichotomy popcorn

Sharp cheddar and brie with spicy pepper jam

The six wines we tasted ranged from a 2010 Monmousseau Champagne to a 2010 Domaine Aime Cabernet Franc to a 2010 Stella Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The Montepulciano was my favorite and, at $12.99, it didn’t take much time to decide to take home a bottle.

As always, Miss WineOH’s tasting was relaxed, fun, and yet still educational. She has 2 cupcake pairing events in March, so check out her website for details!

Over wine and snacks the conversation ranged from the appreciation of “bubbles” that seems to come in your 30′s to Jump Back Ball (and JBB dresses) to the Cleveland City Living awards to the Madonna concert to paczki.

Kristian brought paczki!

Getting their wine on were bloggers from:

A Kase Of…

Adventures of a Trapped 300-pound Man and Ohio Festivals

Big Shot Dot the I

Blog – The New Black and Cleveland City Living (read her recap here)

@chariturbanista

Daily Downward Dog

Eat*Drink*Cleveland (read her recap here)

Finding the Time

Health Insurance Issues with Dave and Again? Really?

@LMeggas

Miss WineOH (read her recap here)

NIDHIZZLE

OmStone Aromas

Passion for the Possible

Poise in Parma (read her recap here)

Rust Belt Runner

SMITTEN…in Cleveland

@sos_jr

the days go on… (read her recap here)

Thrifty Volunteer

Wearing Mascara

I always have such a great time at these events, catching up with old friends and making new ones! Cheers to the Ohio Blogging Association, Alicia from Poise in Parma, Tammy from Miss WineOH, and Wine and Design for a fantastic event!

The next Ohio Blogging Association meet-up will be volunteering at the Cleveland Foodbank on Monday, March 12. Check out the Facebook event page for more details.

Why? 11 Random Facts About Me!

Last week, MojaMala2 tagged me in her 11 Random Facts post. Never one to pass up a blogging meme, I figured I’d participate. Here are the rules:

The Rules:

• Post these rules
• You must post 11 random things about yourself
• Answer the questions set for you in their post
• Create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer
• Go to their blog and tell them you’ve tagged them
• No stuff in the tagging section about you are tagged if you are reading this. You legitimately have to tag 11 people!

OK, well, I’m going to modify the rules a little bit. The people who have already done the meme have tagged just about everyone in the blogosphere that I would have tagged. So, I’ll simply give you the 11 facts and answer Moja’s 11 questions.

Random Facts About Me

1. I HATE bananas. Even as a kid, I wouldn’t eat them.

Image Source - alazyjfishingcharter.com

2. I didn’t get my drivers license until I was 24 years old.

3. I’ve never been on a Tremont Art Walk. Bad Clevelander!

4. CLEguy and I met on Match.com. I totally think we’re cute enough to be on a commercial, don’t you?!

5. I didn’t play any sports in high school, but I was a captain on the Speech & Debate team.

6. When Bar Symon was open, I went to every monthly craft beer dinner there, but one. The one I missed was because CLEguy’s sister was having her baby, so it was a worthwhile trade-off.

7. CLEmom and I lived with CLEgrandpa while I was growing up. A three-generation household is an interesting challenge.

8. In between boomeranging back to CLE, I lived in DC for three years and Denver for one year.

9. My dream job is teaching constitutional law. Yes, I’m a geek. See, also, #5.

10. CLEpup is my first-ever rescue dog and I’m never going back to anything else.

11. “Cowboy Take Me Away” by the Dixie Chicks was the first country song I fell in love with and got me hooked on country music.

Now to Moja’s questions:

What are you wearing? Black yoga pants, t-shirt, lululemon jacket

What is your dream race to run? If I liked running/still wanted to run, then the Cleveland Marathon.

Where is your favorite vacation spot? Really anywhere warm, tropical, and beachy.

What was your last dream about? I honestly don’t remember.

Would you rather be too hot or too cold? Too hot. I’m a freeze baby and HATE being cold.

If you had to listen to one song on repeat forever what would it be? “Like the Rain” by Clint Black. It’s beautiful and haunting and his voice is amazing.

What was your favorite school subject? (Do not say recess) In high school, probably English. I always loved to read and write.

If you could go back to school would you study the same things or pick a different major? This is actually a big question for me at the moment. I’d keep both my undergrad major (political science) and grad school (law) the same. But I’d be more sure about how I wanted to use the degrees after school.

Are you an Apple fan or Android fan? Apple.

Any tattoos or piercing? Are they visible? I have my ears pierced. Yes, my ears are visible

Favorite alcoholic beverage? A big red wine…mostly Zinfandel these days.

Happy Friday, CLE!

Why? Weekends!

It was another fun and busy weekend in CLE! On Friday night, CLEguy and I went to The South Side for my dear friend Jennifer’s birthday celebration.

South Side is a great Tremont spot. Sometimes the service can be a bit slow, but the food is good and reasonably-priced and there’s a great beer selection. CLEguy enjoyed the pulled pork wrap, with cheddar and a fried pickle. I munched on some of South Side’s delicious hummus. And I tried a new (for me) Dogfish Head beer called Namaste.

This beer has coriander, orange, and lemongrass flavors and reminded me of Summer Shandy, but better. Maybe not the most seasonally-appropriate choice, but it has been uncharacteristically warm, right?!

It was a fun night celebrating with friends. And I saw this great piece of art by the bar that I just had to get a picture near:

It says, “I will be keepin’ my talents in Cleveland.” And I certainly will!

On Saturday, I got up bright and early to check out a community class at Nishkama Yoga. This is the studio where Alicia from Poise in Parma works and, after hearing her rave about it, I wanted to check it out.

Community classes are taught by yoga teachers-in-training and are free, so they’re a great way to check out a studio, or even check out yoga! My friend Theresa came along with me and it was her first time practicing yoga. She told me afterwards she’d be trying it again, so hopefully it was a good experience for her!

Nishkama Yoga had a great, calm vibe, the instructors were friendly and helpful, and the class was challenging and fun. What more could you ask for from a Saturday morning?

We centered the class around the idea that no effort is wasted. What a great thing to remember in both yoga and life!  And I loved this little piece of inspiration as I walked in the door:

After yoga, CLEguy and I headed to our menu tasting for our wedding at Landerhaven. While I don’t want to talk too much about the wedding and bore you all, I will say that the food was ridiculously tasty. Here’s a peak at some of what we got to eat:

Landerhaven did a fantastic job with the tasting and I’m sure our guests will be happy with the food that night! Plus, it’s exciting to start to see things come together for the wedding. It makes it feel more real and a lot closer, too!

From there, we headed to house hunting. We’re currently looking for a new home and have found a couple great places, so hopefully we’ll have new house news soon!

Phew…what a day! After all that, we needed Sunday to just relax, take down the Christmas decorations, squeeze in another yoga class…I needed lots of Namaste – in various forms – this weekend!

What new answers to Why CLE? did you discover this weekend?