Why? Fashion Week Cleveland Runway Show!

Saturday night was the pinnacle of Fashion Week Cleveland: the black-tie gala and runway show. My giveaway winner, Amy, and I split the recap to give you two different perspectives on the evening.

All glam on the red carpet with Amy

Amy’s Recap

When I won the tickets from Why CLE? to Cleveland Fashion Week’s Black-tie Gala, I made a bargain with Jen: in return for the two tickets she provided, I would help her write the recap of the event and provide a few pictures.

My favorite part of the evening was dressing up and going out with my husband for a night on the town. I also enjoyed meeting new people like the writers of some of the Cleveland-based blogs I follow. I think everyone who attended the event felt like the evening was a perfect opportunity to people watch! The fashion show itself was fascinating, and my favorite designer was Lotty Lewis.

It’s Nidhi from Cleveland Socialite!

 There were a few suggestions I would make for next year’s show. The doors were scheduled to open at 7:30 p.m., but they didn’t open until almost 8:15 p.m. This seemed to set the tone for the evening, and it felt like we had a lot of time to stand around. I think there are opportunities to tighten the schedule – perhaps shorten the reception, but have some of the models walking around throughout the reception with the looks from the runway…just to give us a “teaser” for the show itself. I think there was a lack of organization too – I received a lot of questions from other attendees about where they could find the bar, the restrooms, the VIP section, etc.

I also would like to have seen more about the FWC organization and what they are doing to answer the question “Why CLE?”

My Recap

Before we headed to all the glamour, Alicia (my date for the evening), Kimberly, her husband, and I decided to grab some appetizers and cocktails at Pier W. The restaurant just lends itself to dressiness. We snagged a spot in the bar and were able to get in on happy hour prices. Yes, they have  happy hour on the weekend: $5.75 martinis and  glasses of wine and half-off almost all appetizers.

The food and cocktails were delicious (lobster bisque, calamari, and short rib pierogies, oh my!), plus we were able to have a mini photo shoot on the deck overlooking our beloved city.

From there, we headed to the Halle Building. Our tickets said the doors opened at 7:30, but word on the street – literally, we were all waiting on Huron – was that the time had been changed to 8:15. We certainly got in some good people-watching, though!

Once inside, we made our way first to the champagne fountain. Good thing we started there because by the time we went for a refill about half an hour later, there was no champagne left and the fountain was all packed up!

From there, we checked out the nibbles. Stone Mad served up mini sandwiches of their famous beef brisket, Flour served up pasta, and L’Albatros served up three different cheeses, pate, taurine, and homemade sausage.

In keeping with the late entrance to the Halle Building, the runway show started about half an hour late. By the time we made our way through the line and downstairs, we weren’t able to see any of the fashions from our seats. Literally, we saw models from the shoulders up. Perhaps if the runway had been raised, it would have been easier for all the attendees to see the clothes.

I love that Fashion Week Cleveland gives a forum for local designers to show off their talent, but overall, the event could have been better organized and executed. VIP tickets cost $100. While I was fortunate to have received a pair of tickets, I think that the value for people who bought tickets is compromised by late starts, running out of champagne, long drink lines, and not necessarily being able to even see the runway show.

However, I never have a really bad evening when I’m with these ladies, so cheers to getting glammed up with my girls!

Did you attend Fashion Week Cleveland’s runway show? What’s your take on the evening?

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

Why? Weekends, Part I!

Hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend! Since it was so nice, Friday seemed the perfect night for patio time at Momocho. I had three of my favorite Momocho menu items: the spicy mango margarita, the corn and crab guacamole, and the duck taquitos with pomegranate barbacoa. Delicious!

While we were sipping and dipping, my friend Chrissy asked me if I would be a bridesmaid in her wedding in June 2013. I was so honored and of course immediately accepted! I also had to tell Chrissy that Momocho has a history with me and bridesmaids…my friend Beth asked me to be one of her Maids of Honor there and I asked Beth to be one of my bridesmaids at Momocho as well. Maybe it’s something they put in the margaritas?!

On Sunday, it was time to celebrate Mom. The whole family went out to dinner at Salmon Dave’s. The restaurant is known for its fresh seafood and fish. We started with sharing the seared ahi tuna appetizer and the calamari appetizer.

Many of the dishes at Salmon Dave’s have an Asian influence. The seared ahi tuna is served with seaweed salad and spicy sticky rice. The calamari came with a delicious Thai peanut sauce.

For our entrees, there was no question what Mom and I wanted: the king crab legs special.

I selected the lobster mashers and steamed asparagus as my sides. I love when seafood is so fresh and tasty that it can just stand on its own and these crab legs certainly did. They were sweet and tender and completely delicious. Everyone else seemed happy with their choices as well, from Maine lobster tail to diver scallops to Alaskan king salmon. For straight-up good, fresh seafood and fish, Salmon Dave’s is a win.

Most importantly, though, we had a wonderful time as a family honoring a very special lady. Cheers, Mom!

Tomorrow, I’ll fill you all in on my and my giveaway winner Amy’s takes on the Fashion Week Cleveland Runway Shows. What did you do to celebrate Mother’s Day? Did you get a chance to take advantage of this lovely patio weather?

Why? Mother’s Day!

Happy Mother’s Day weekend to all the moms and moms-to-be! I wanted to take a moment to celebrate my mom.

Photo Credit – J.A.S. Photography

Here are just a few of the things she’s taught me over the years:

That even when life should break you, you can’t let it. In the span of eight months when she was only 25 years old, she had a baby, her husband left her, and her mother died after battling cancer. Any one of those things would be enough to completely overwhelm a person. She is amazingly strong. And she taught me that no matter what life hands you, you find the inner strength to keep going.

How to appreciate the finer things. She has good taste, my mother. From fine restaurants to nice clothes to travel, she taught me how to recognize quality and how sometimes it’s worth splurging for.

To be a woman of faith. And I don’t just mean because she asks if I went to church, although she does that, too. She raised me to understand that faith, however you define and practice it, can center you in a way that few other things can.

Value your girlfriends. Long before Sex and the City, my mom would have luncheons with her girlfriends where they would sit and talk and drink and laugh. And I usually got to sit there too. I understood from an early age that girlfriends are precious and that making time to nurture these relationships is crucial.

That being passionate about your job is more important than the paycheck. She taught Catholic elementary school for 17 years. She wasn’t in it for the money. But I still see her tear up around the first day of school. She loved her job and not because of prestige or money. Finding that kind of passion for what you do is rare and important.

You don’t need a man. Operative word being “need.” The point is that she taught me to be strong, independent, and able to take care of myself.

Sometimes love comes from the most unexpected of places. I never thought she’d end up with my stepdad. I’m not sure she did either. But they are a wonderful couple and an amazing example of what can happen when two people who have been hurt let down their guards and genuinely get to know one other. She taught me it’s important to look beyond the superficial “list.” Also that the person who finally treats you how you deserve to be treated is more often than not the right person for you.

Family will never fail you. It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, it doesn’t matter what you need, it doesn’t matter how long you wait to ask. Family will always be there for you.

 

I love you, Mom!

Why? Near West Theatre’s Ragtime!

It was bloggers, burritos, and Broadway in Ohio City last night. First, I met up with Kimberly from Smitten…in Cleveland, Sarah from Cooker Girl, and Amanda from Clue Into Cleveland for dinner at Ohio City Burrito.

Ohio City Burrito works on the same concept as Chipotle: walk down the line and pick out your burrito or taco toppings. But the end result at OCB is much tastier! Everything is homemade and delicious.

I chose the Naked Burrito (no tortilla) with rice, black beans, pork carnitas, guacamole, medium salsa, jalapenos, corn, and cheese. The pork was tender and flavorful and the toppings were so fresh. Seriously tasty!

From there, we met up with Nidhi from Cleveland Socialite and headed to Near West Theatre to see Ragtime. Our blogger pal Sara from Sara Finding the Time was performing in the show. Near West Theatre’s shows are held in the old St. Patrick’s Church on Bridge Avenue, which was transformed into a gorgeous set for this musical.

Ragtime is three hours of wall-to-wall music with everything from playful rags to soulful ballads. The story is set at the dawn of the Twentieth Century, when men like Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan were gods. The musical explores issues of racial tension, social injustice, unions, immigrants, feminism, and more.

Image Source – sarafindingthetime.wordpress.com

The cast and crew of Ragtime did a fantastic job with this monster of a musical. The show’s energy never dipped. And we have some amazingly talented people in community theater in Cleveland! Wow! As I was watching the show, I thought about Sara and the rest of the cast: people with “regular” jobs, who give up their free time to perform for the love of the theater.

Image Source – sarafindingthetime.wordpress.com

Ragtime runs through May 20 and tickets are only $8! You can see great theater for a song (haha). For show dates, times, and tickets, click here.

Congrats to Sara and the entire cast and crew of Ragtime! You gave us quite a memorable night at the theater! Break a leg on the rest of your run!

Where is your favorite place to see community theater in Cleveland?

Why? Upcoming Events!

It’s a busy time in CLE, with lots of fun upcoming events to fill your days…

International Beer Fest

Friday, May 11 and Saturday, May 12

I-X Center

Image Source – ixbeerfest.com

The largest beer show in the Midwest is back this weekend at the I-X Center. There will seminars on food and beer pairing, BrewU, a silent disco, and of course plenty of beer! Tickets starts at $45 and can be purchased by clicking here.

For the Love of Latte Art

Saturday, May 12 – 1pm

Tri-C Hospitality Management Center

Image Source – clebrews.com

The Cleveland Brews coffee collective hosts their first annual Latte Art event. There will be classes on milk texturing and latte art. There is also a latte throwdown beginning at 4pm, with celebrity judges Cara Lageson of Yelp Cleveland, Danielle DeBoe of Room Service, and Chef Jonathon Sawyer of The Greenhouse Tavern. Tickets are $5 for the latte showdown, $10 for competitor entry fee, and $20 for classes. Click here for tickets.

Feathers & Fedoras

Thursday, May 17 – 6pm

Saigon Plaza

Step back into the roaring 20′s with a speakeasy-themed event to benefit the May Dugan Center. The May Dugan Center helps bridge the gaps that can occur in community-based programs, providing food, clothing, furniture, and mental health counseling. Feathers & Fedoras benefits this worthy organization with a fun evening, featuring cabaret singer Lounge Kitty, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Tickets are $60 (or $100 for two) and can be purchased by clicking here.

Silver Spoon Awards Party

Wednesday, May 23 – 6pm

Cleveland Marriott at Key Center

Image Source – twitter.com/silverspooncle

Cleveland Magazine presents the 18th annual Silver Spoon Awards Party, honoring the best in Cleveland cuisine. Sample delicious bites from Silver Spoon Award winners and bid on fabulous prizes in a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation. Tickets are $85 for general admission and $135 for VIP. Click here to purchase tickets.

Emerging Chefs’ Snout to Tail

Thursday, May 24 – 6pm

Dunham Tavern

Emerging Chefs present an urban pig roast with Snout to Tail. Chef Melissa Khoury and special guest Chef Ellis Cooley will present a menu with pork in every course. This is sure to be a tasty and fun evening. Tickets are $65 and can be purchased by clicking here.

Cleveland Indians Fill the House for The Cleveland Foodbank

Tuesday, May 29 – 7:05pm

Progressive Field

Image Source – clevelandfoodbank.org

The Cleveland Foodbank wants you to get out to the ballpark to see our Cleveland Indians take on the Kansas City Royals. Just by doing that, you can help fight hunger in our community. For every ticket sold by The Cleveland Foodbank prior to the game, $5 is donated back to the Foodbank. For every ticket sold on game day, $1 is donated to the Foodbank. Tickets are $27 for Field Box, $19 for Lower Reserved, and $12 for Upper Box. Click here to purchase tickets.

What upcoming events are you looking forward to in May?

***Disclosure: I was invited to attend For the Love of Latte Art with a complimentary spectator pass and declined due to scheduling conflicts. I was also invited to attend Emerging Chefs Snout to Tail with a complimentary media pass. As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

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, Part I!

It was another busy weekend in CLE! Friday afternoon, Smitten…in Cleveland and I headed out for some patio cocktails to celebrate making it through our yoga-thon. We chose The Greenhouse Tavern and, while we were a day early for the rooftop bar, we were able to take in the people-watching on East 4th from street-level.

I sipped on the Sage Advice cocktail on Round 1 and the Grapefruit 75 on Round 2. As we were enjoying our second round of drinks, our waiter told us that Bethany (one of our awesome yoga teachers) had called in and bought a round of drinks for us. How amazing is that?

The Sage Advice had OYO vanilla bean vodka, sage, burnt lemon, and walnut flavors. While I got a lot of sage aroma, the taste was much more lemon and vanilla.

The Grapefruit 75 is noted on the menu as being perfect for patio season and that is definitely true. It has grapefruit vodka and prosecco and is light, crisp, and refreshing.

We also split an order of the moules frites, which are The Greenhouse Tavern’s tasty frites with mussels and tomato broth. Yum! Eat them fast so the frites don’t get soggy!

After patio cocktails, Kimberly and I headed home for dinner. For me, dinner meant Menchie’s. Matthew and I headed to the frozen yogurt and toppings wonderland and each made our own unique creations. Mine is something any five-year-old would love, with plenty of nonpaerils, Kit-Kat, and chocolate chip cookie dough bites.

Hooray for balanced nutrition of cocktails, frites, and fro yo!

Saturday, I headed back to Nishkama Yoga to celebrate the Grand Opening of their North Olmsted location (and the end of the yoga-thon). There was a delicious taco bar with food donated from Whole Foods Market, a raffle to benefit the Cleveland APL, and free yoga all day.

It was so fun to celebrate the Grand Opening of such a special studio with such fabulous yogis.

Plus, Kimberly and I brought an official end to our yoga-thon! While the marathon may be over, we’ll definitely keep on practicing at Nishkama.

That’s just half of the weekend, folks! Tomorrow I’ll catch you up on dinner in Tremont, Cleveland Fashion Week’s GlamJam party, and seeing the Avengers!

Was your weekend busy or low-key?

Why? 6 Days of Yoga!

Just about a month ago, Kimberly from Smitten…in Cleveland and I bought month-long unlimited passes at Nishkama Yoga. I was maintaining a twice-per-week schedule. Then, on Monday, I met up with Kimberly for her first ever Nishkama Vinyasa Flow class. Well, clearly Bethany did something to our brains. Because when we left the class, Kimberly suggested we get as much bang for our buck by going to class every day this week. And I agreed.

Our six day yoga-thon is not complete yet. We have class this morning and then a class on Saturday to help celebrate Nishkama North Olmsted’s grand opening. Side note: There are free classes all day Saturday, plus a taco bar and a raffle to benefit the APL! Get the details here.

But, through these last four days, I’ve learned a lot about yoga and about how these lessons tie to life in general. Or maybe I just realized somethings I already knew…

Dress for success. I made it through this week with the help of some new lululemon gear. Feeling cute while being sweaty helps.

Image Source – therisinghollywood.com

There are days that are just hard and there are days when you kick (yogi) butt. After Tuesday’s class, Kimberly and I looked at each other like we were ready to give up. But we came back again on Wednesday and felt like rock stars.

When something great happens, it’s best to have girlfriends nearby to share it with. Near the end of Monday’s class, I got my heels down to the mat in downward facing dog, multiple times. I immediately shouted out this news to Bethany (our teacher) and Kimberly. I blame this euphoria for why I agreed to the yoga-thon. And I’ve gotten those heels down every day this week.

Share your practice with people who care about and support you. The teachers at Nishkama know you and they know your practice. They can see your advancement and they know your weak spots. They will be your Facebook friends. They are awesome women.

Utkatasana is the worst word in the world.This is Sanskrit for “Chair Pose.” I hate this pose. There is no amount of strength or yogi grace to get me through it easily. I just have to grit my teeth and do it.

Image Source – orthozane.com

Assists from your teacher are sometimes tough. They push you further into a pose, make you go a little deeper and work a little harder. I cannot get through Reverse Warrior in Ylonda’s class without her sitting on my bent leg. We both know it’s going to happen. And as much as it can be tough, I know she does it because she cares about my practice.

You can do the thing you never thought you’d do. If you had asked anyone who knows me if I’d be a confirmed yogi, they would have said no. I would have told you the same thing. I never thought I’d even know what Plough Pose was, much less hang out in it for extended periods of time. We all have so much strength in so many different ways. All you have to do is shut out everything else and tap into it.

If you spend six days in a row practicing yoga with someone, your friendship will be cemented. It’s cemented by laughter, grunts of frustration, sweat, yogi highs and hazes, and the promise of patio cocktails when it’s all over.

As I walked into the studio yesterday morning, I saw this sign:

It says, “On this path, no effort is wasted and there is no failure. Even a little effort will yield protection from fear.” I definitely found that to be true during my yoga-thon!

Do you yoga? What have you learned from the practice?

Why? Career Update!

Back in November, I told you I was taking a leap of faith. I decided to change my current job and find something that truly made me happy. So, here’s where the journey has taken me so far…

I’m currently working for my stepdad’s company. While this isn’t the permanent stop on the journey, it provides not only something to do, but the sense that the work I’m doing is contributing to my family.

I’ve found that I was far from alone in feeling uninspired and in needing to hit the reset button. In big and small ways, many of you are in that place too. Whether you take the leap I took or not, it’s worth stepping back even a bit and evaluating if you’re where you want to be, doing what you want to be doing. I think the world in general is more open than ever before to people making career shifts, to choosing happiness and fulfillment.

Image Souce – careersuccess.typepad.com

Cleveland continues to be a pretty amazing place to be making this transition in my life. Not only because I have the support of friends and family, but because there really are a plethora of jobs out there. Beyond that, there are networking groups and resources that make a career search here easier.

That said, transitioning is difficult. Not everyone understands making a hard left off what seemed to be a safe and secure road. And some days I definitely have more questions than answers. I have a friend who said job hunting is a lot like dating. She meant it in the sense of nervousness and waiting for phone calls and the like, but I think it’s true in a greater sense. When you’re not just job hunting, but also seeking career fulfillment, it can be pretty daunting. Sometimes it’s more about knowing what you don’t want, what you’re not looking for, than what you are seeking.

Some days I think I never should have left my other job, never should have started on this path. Then I realize that, despite the unanswered questions, I am more at peace now than I have been in a long time. Putting all the puzzle pieces in place in a new and unknown order has been and will continue to be a lot of work. But I don’t doubt that it’s worth it, not only for me but for the people in my life.

I mentioned back in November wanting teaching to be a piece of the puzzle. Well, just this week, that piece clicked into place. In the fall, I will be teaching two courses at my alma mater, John Carroll University. I couldn’t be more excited to be not only teaching, but teaching somewhere that means so much to me. I get to implement my degrees in a way that works for me.

Image source – jcu.edu

Beyond that, I’ll continue the journey, continue to work the process, and trust that with my efforts and a little luck, I’ll end up where I’m supposed to be.

Have you ever made a career transition? How did it work out?

Why? Ronald McDonald House!

Last week, I met up with other members of the Kappa Delta Cleveland Alumnae Chapter to volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House.

Ronald McDonald House provides low-cost or free housing to families whose children are receiving medical care at a nearby hospital. Currently, the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House has 35 rooms, but is looking to add more rooms in the near future.

Our task that evening was to prepare and serve dinner for the residents. There is often no set meal time at the house, as families come in and out after doctor’s appointments or visiting hours. Our group brought in a Mexican-themed meal, with tacos, enchiladas, Spanish rice, chips and salsa, and more.

When we arrived, we immediately got busy in the kitchen, warming up dishes, slicing veggies, and generally getting the meal prepared.

Once dinner was served, our “job” was just to keep the stations filled. We also had a chance to chat with the families staying at Ronald McDonald House. We all know Cleveland is a center of great medical care, but that really hits home when you see people from around the world coming here for treatment.

What also hits home is how difficult it must be to not only have a sick child, but to be in an unknown city dealing with that. The Ronald McDonald House provides more than just a roof. It provides a built-in support system with the other residents and the staff. Families make friends, kids play pick-up games of soccer in the hallway, and a generally unbearable situation becomes a little more bearable.

Volunteering at Ronald McDonald House was a great experience and I’m so happy we were able to help such a deserving organization. If you or a group you’re involved with would like to volunteer, either by providing dinner or in any other way, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities. Click here for a list. What organizations do you volunteer with in Cleveland?