Cleveland Hipster

HopStop.com Now Featuring Cleveland

2010-12-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

HopStop is a quick and easy way to map your route from place to place using public transportation within a city, and it now features Cleveland! Riding the Rapid is probably the most fun, and Cleveland also features an extensive bus system, so you can explore the town without needing a car. Just put your starting and ending addresses in the fields on HopStop, and you'll get handy, detailed directions you can read, print, or email.

When you get to the HopStop homepage, click the icon for Cleveland to get started.

Cleveland's West Side Market - Photo Essay

2010-08-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

The first in a series of Cleveland photo essays by Sarah Sloboda, this features some details of the beautifully restored West Side Market.

West Side Market
1979 West 25th Street
Cleveland, OH 44113-3455
(216) 579-6800

Open Mon,Wed 7am-4pm; Fri-Sat 7am-6pm

The market boasts a wonderful selection of fresh meats, sausages, perogis, baked goods, fine spices, fresh seafood, and just about every culinary delight you can think of. It's been restored to its original splendor, and stepping inside takes you back to a time when every city centered around such a marketplace. Even New York City doesn't have a market this authentic!

New York to Cleveland!

2009-09-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Check out this fantastic article from today's New York Times' travel section on a fun getaway weekend to Cleveland!

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/09/20/travel/20hours.html?hp

(Contrary to what the article says, I frequently fly from New York's LaGuardia airport to Cleveland Hopkins for $180.00 or less. I recommend Continental Airlines!)

(Pictured above, Cleveland's "Tremont" neighborhood. Photo by Sarah Sloboda.)

Portrait Mini-Sessions with Sarah Sloboda

2009-06-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, July 11th, 2009, Cleveland native Sarah Sloboda returns home for a special one-day only children’s portrait event. Mini portrait sessions will take place at a beautiful location in Columbia Station, and include an online proofing gallery, and three 5x7 prints, for $125.00 per child. This is an inclusive package, in that the online photo gallery, and several prints, come with the package price of the sitting fee.
The event is sponsored in part by Honey Hut ice cream, and participants will receive a special frozen treat, courtesy of the Honey Hut team.
Sloboda photographs children with an artistic approach to capture their natural spirit – carefree, fun, and spontaneous. Her main goal is to allow children to be themselves, and to have the portraits reflect the child’s individuality. A sample online proofing gallery is available at http://pa.photoshelter.com/c/sloboda.

Rain date is scheduled for Sunday, July 12th, 2009.

RSVP required – please email sarah[at]sarahsloboda.com to request a timeslot and driving directions.

Sarah Sloboda is a premier children’s photographer, based in New York City, and is famous for her work in Wondertime magazine. She was awarded second place by the Prix de la Photographie, Paris, for her series, “Happiest Day in a Girl’s Life.” Her commercial portfolio may be viewed online at http://www.sarahsloboda.com. Sloboda was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio.

Photos copyright: Sarah Sloboda
(Click on the photos for a larger view.)

Still got an Appetite?

2008-10-29T13:25:00.000-07:00

In our last post about Appetite, we mentioned the special Sunday brunch. Well, it calls for another mention. Check the website or give ‘em a call to check that it’s on -- and when it is, it’s really on. Start with a made-to-order omelet -- veggies, meats, cheeses...add everything you want. While it’s cooking, move down the counter and pick up some French toast, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fruit...and the bakery. They’re kind enough to set out small slices of various quiche, bagels and pastries, so you can sample a bunch, but many of the whole pastries in the display are up for grabs with the brunch special as well. I’d recommend the chocolate croissant, but every single one of them is delicious (and believe me, I’ve tried them all.) Seriously, bring your Appetite.

Appetite
5143 Mayfield Road
Lyndhurst, OH 44124

phone: 440.461.8000
www.appetitedeliandbakery.com

by: Cathleen Dalton

Edgewater Park

2008-10-10T19:58:00.001-07:00

Just west of downtown, Edgewater Park has it’s own exit off the Shoreway. With good reason: there’s walking paths, a beach, a pier, a concession stand, and a stone wall to walk along the water. For the adventurous, there’s even a “path” of boulders along the stone wall that offers a more challenging route. (Careful, just because one of your dogs acts like a billy goat, that doesn’t mean your puppy won’t stumble and fall into a crevice between rocks -- you don’t want to find out how hard it is to get him out, especially when you’re laughing about how silly he looks trying to claw his way up. Believe me.) One of the defining characteristics of Edgewater Park is the fishermen...they’re always there, waiting to see what Lake Erie’s willing to give up, along the stone wall or on the pier. The pier also has benches that offer a place to relax and look at Edgewater Park’s other defining characteristic: the Cleveland skyline.

by: Cathleen Dalton

Steel Plant

2008-08-01T18:01:00.001-07:00

Here is a view of one of the steel plants near downtown Cleveland:

You can see the plant from the nearby shopping center, and up the hill on your way to Tremont. There are several steel plants close together in this area, and most of them are no longer major steel manufacturers, but I believe at least one of them still operates on some level.

This is a symbol of one of the things that brought our ancestors to this country at the turn of the 20th century - a relic of the industrialization of the United States.

by: Sarah Sloboda
photo: Sarah Sloboda

Lilly Chocolates

2008-07-24T07:57:00.001-07:00

For a delicious treat, try Lilly Chocolates! The truffles are hand-crafted, and soon they'll offer shipping anywhere in the country, but for now you can visit Lilly on Starkweather Ave., in Tremont.

I was thrilled to walk into the large, minimalist store to find a display of chocolate treats, a gift / merchandise table, and a wall of beer! The wall had several huge shelves, all stocked with beer selected to compliment chocolate. You may mix and match your own four or six-pack to sample a certain variety, you could buy higher end larger bottles individually. The selection includes an array of stouts and porters, and even one called, "Juju Ginger."

My brother and I selected several beers and chocolates, and went home and sampled all of them after dinner with our family. It was so much fun! The chocolates were unbelievably flavorful, and very fine quality. My personal favorite was milk chocolate with a real dried fig inside. Amazing. And we loved the beer as well! Our favorite was the Vanilla Porter, which is a stout that tastes remarkably like root beer.

The owner was charming and wonderful, and let us sample a chocolate while we were deciding on our purchase. We loved her! And we felt so much appreciation leaving her store. It was truly an awesome indulgence!

Website: http://www.lillytremont.com/

761 Starkweather Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216.771.3333
Closed Mondays

by: Sarah Sloboda

The Ukrainian Museum

2008-07-23T20:50:00.000-07:00

My paternal grandfather's parents emigrated from the Ukraine at the turn of the last century, so I was fascinated with the idea of learning more about your culture at the Ukrainian Museum-Archives. The museum is located just off of West 14th, in the historic Tremont neighborhood, just minutes from downtown.

An amazing piece of modern architecture is set behind an old, traditional Cleveland-style 2-story porched house. These two buildings make up the Ukrainian museum. The house portion is going under a substantial renovation, but I rather enjoyed looking at all of the artifacts amidst the dust and old walls of the old Cleveland house. There was something rather authentic about it, and it certainly didn't take away from the quality of the collection itself.

There is a wonderful taste of Ukrainian culture and history, particularly regarding a few large immigration waves into the US that took place around the turn of the 19th century, and again around World War II. And the new building behind the house is FABULOUS. It's a stark concrete and wood structure that is completely worth the visit in and of itself, if you're into modern architecture.

The museum's curator herself gave me a guided tour, filling me in on the origins of the collection and lots of the history of Ukrainian immigrants in the Cleveland area. She is a first-generation American whose parents were born in the Ukraine, and she speaks the language fluently! Talk about authenticity!

Admission to the museum is by donation, and highly worth a meaningful one. You may also become a sponsor using a mail-in donation envelope. The gift shop sells astoundingly detailed dyed eggs, created using the traditional Ukrainian batik process, and the style of which were symbolically very powerful in pagan times in the Ukraine.

Current Exhibition:
Displaced Persons Camps Exhibit -The Journey from Ukraine to America - WWII Refuges. Runs from June 13-September 6, 2008.

Museum Hours:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays - 10 to 3 PM (or by prior appointment).

Ukrainian Museum-Archives
1202 Kenilworth Ave
Cleveland, OH 44113
United States of America
Phone: 216.781.4329

Their website also features several on-line exhibitions, if you'd like to get a taste: www.umacleveland.org

by: Sarah Sloboda

A Little Place Called, "Appetite"

2008-06-26T18:25:00.001-07:00

If you’re on the east side and looking for some good, reasonably priced food, check out Appetite. It’s like an old-fashioned deli, and you can watch ‘em make your sandwich before taking your cafeteria tray and sliding into a booth. Daily specials include soups and various sandwiches. Plus, omelettes are made to order.

And don’t eat too much, or you’ll miss their AMAZING bakery. They offer standard (and still yummy) products like bread, but the cookies and pastries cannot be skipped. Treat yourself.

The place was opened a couple of years ago by Chefs Bennett and William Davis, a couple of alums of Culinary Institute of America that will be happy to make you a wonderful meal. They close a little early (7:00), and have abbreviated Saturday hours, so get there quick. Or try the Sunday brunch, offered on the last Sunday of each month.

I can’t finish this post without saying it: Don’t forget your appetite!

by: Cathleen Dalton

NASA Glenn Research Center

2008-06-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

While some Clevelanders have never heard of NASA Glenn Research Center, it’s quite a fascinating place. Located next to Hopkins Airport, the most visible building is the hangar (you can see it from Brookpark Road and I-480).

The facility’s Visitor’s Center hosts daily lectures about everything under the sun (pun intended), and lots of space far beyond our sun’s reach. The best part about the Visitor’s Center is what I lovingly refer to as space garbage: a flight suit worn by the center’s namesake, John Glenn; replicas of Mars research vehicles; and a recovered capsule from a mission to space. There’s even a scale to convert your Earth weight to Moon weight (after watching those pounds magically disappear, you should consider picking up some astronaut ice cream from the gift shop...a trip to any NASA facility isn’t complete without it).

Recently, many of the other buildings were part of an open house celebrating the center’s 50-year anniversary. It was immensely enjoyable to wander around the grounds (in the designated areas, of course) and tour various buildings. One of my favorites was the Ares I rocket production facility -- NASA Glenn has been charged with the task of building a test version of the vehicle, scheduled for launch within a year or so. Surprisingly, we were allowed to walk right next to the immense components of the rocket, an experience that would remind anyone that going into space is huge, literally and figuratively. A guided tour would likely provide a lot more information and attention from the staff -- luckily, NASA Glenn offers guided tours on certain Saturdays from April through October. Check this link for details.

Before visiting, be sure to check NASA’s guidelines for visitors (click on the link). Also, allow a few minutes for a security check when you arrive on the property. All visitors must be US citizens and will need to provide security personnel with government-issued photo identification.

I’ve yet to find a water fountain at NASA Glenn that dispenses Tang, the ultimate astronaut beverage, but I’m willing to bet it’s there somewhere...let me know if you see one!

by: Cathleen Dalton

Honey Hut Ice Cream

2008-06-11T08:28:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, we would go to the original Honey Hut Ice Cream shop, which was actually a garage, in Old Brooklyn. I always got Orange Blossom. (It was like creamsicle-flavored ice cream, only gourmet.)

Honey Hut has an incredibly delicious ice cream recipe that uses honey instead of sugar as a sweetener. They have an amazing array of flavors, all made with honey for a distinctly sweet and quality taste. The company was founded by the Page family - after Frank first experimented with the recipe in 1974. Since then, they have expanded beyond the first garage shop to several other shops, and sell ice cream by the cone or pint, as you prefer. (In other words, if you're local, you can stock your fridge!)

Now Honey Hut has locations in Parma, Strongsville, Brecksville and even at Huntington Beach. Visit their website for all locations: www.honeyhuticecream.com. For a quirky, historical experience, visit the original shop and sit out on the driveway at a picnic table!

The Original Honey Hut:
4674 State Road
Old Brooklyn

by: Sarah Sloboda

Mid-Western Charm

2008-06-10T20:37:00.000-07:00

I think mid-western charm deserves its own posting, in and of itself.

To sum it up, I leave it to Tina Fey and the folks at 30 Rock:

Cleveland Song Video

(You can enjoy this little Cleveland snippet without having to leave the house!)

by: Sarah Sloboda

Cleveland Museum of Art

2008-06-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

For more than just art take a drive to the art museum - the winding roads in the surrounding area weave through gorgeous woods with historical arched bridges. One of my favorite parts about going to the Cleveland Museum of Art is the drive to and from it. It's worth taking a little extra time to drive by the other museums as well (the museum of Natural History and the Botanical Gardens are both nearby - follow the links to their websites), as the area is absolutely stunning, and truly exhibits the very best of the "Emerald Necklace."

The art museum itself has an impressive permanent collection, and other rotating shows as well. Right now (as per their website, June 9th, 2008), the permanent collection is closed for renovations, and they have a free exhibit about the future of the museum. If you have a chance, though, it's worth checking it out, even just to walk around the grounds outside, where there is a giant staircase leading to a courtyard with sculptures of the astrological signs of the zodiac.

University Circle
11150 East Boulevard
Cleveland, Ohio 44106

by: Sarah Sloboda

Cleveland Indians

2008-06-06T18:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, so maybe this is an obvious suggestion. But the Cleveland Indians are an important part of anyone's visit to the city, and even more important for the locals! Clevelanders are die-hard fans, and a visit to one of their home-game sporting events will demonstrate incredible city pride and belief in their team. Cleveland fan power is truly a sight to behold! Plus the Tribe has been a consistently strong team for the past 12 years or so, and checking out a game is a wonderful chance to see excellent athletes in action.

I LOVE baseball, and as a child I used to go to games with my dad at the old Cleveland Municipal Stadium. (The stadium was torn down after Art Modell infamously moved the Browns to Baltimore one fateful night - and made room for the brand-new Browns Stadium and the brand-new Browns franchise!)

It was a gigantic stadium, often half-empty, and the Indians... well, let's just say that the early 1980s was not the highlight of their existence. But I fell in love with them anyway, and once they moved to Jacob's Field (now Progressive Field - for information on the renaming click on the link), I think baseball fans everywhere felt free to love them whole-heartedly.

Not to mention, it is a GORGEOUS ballpark. I think the team (and the park!) deserves as much attention as it can get.

by: Sarah Sloboda

Red Wagon Farm

2008-06-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

Right in my parents' neighborhood, we have the wonderful and delicious Red Wagon Farm. Traditionally, the Red Wagon offers strawberry picking each year when the strawberries ripen - this year they are estimating this will happen around June 10th!

They also sell picked strawberries (the real, home-grown kind!), and all kinds of produce grown right there on the farm. The farm takes up an entire rural block - stretching between East River and Boone Roads in Columbia Station. They have 16 acres of strawberries, and 70 acres of produce! And, they're closer than you might think (just minutes from Strongsville) - located on OH Route 252, just south of 82, within minutes of I-71 - and a beautiful area to drive through in the summer and fall.

For information about strawberries, and for the produce store, visit their website at www.redwagonfarm.com. There you can also find maps and directions.

Produce:
16081 East River Road, Columbia Station, OH 44028

Strawberries:
16144 S. Boone Road, Columbia Station, OH 44028

For the latest info on when the strawberries might be ripe this year, call the Strawberry Hotline:
440.236.5678

by: Sarah Sloboda

Huntington Beach

2008-05-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

While there's no mistaking that Edgewater Park (just west of downtown) is most famous as a sunset-watching beach in the Cleveland area, my favorite beach is Huntington Beach on the west side. (Follow the link for directions from anywhere!)

It is part of the Metroparks in the city of Bay Village, and it has this amazing cliff-like drop off that makes it feel very private down on the sand. That is, except for the fact that it's usually hoppin' with beach-goers! (Don't worry there are stairs, and it's easy to get down there with all of your beach gear.) I visited the beach this winter, and even then the lake is stunningly beautiful, and you can see the tiny outline of the Cleveland skyline to the east.

During peak hours, parking gets a little tight, but there is a giant field across the street that usually opens up for additional parking.

Try a sunset there - it's amazing! Take a friend and your camera for a fantastic photo shoot on the old concrete pier blocks.

And, the concession stand now features Honey Hut Ice Cream, another local Cleveland favorite.

by: Sarah Sloboda

Jack Frost Donuts

2008-05-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, for a special treat my parents would take me to Jack Frost Donuts on Pearl Road in Old Brooklyn. These are arguably some of the best donuts in the world. I now live in New York City, and only the imfamous Doughnut Plant (having made national television appearances on Regis & Kelly and more) compares to Jack Frost.

They make old-fashioned cake donuts, and my favorites were the ones with chocolate topping. If we got there early enough, there would be a chocolate one with a white frosting smiley face! That was my absolute favorite.

When in Cleveland, eat donuts like the Clevelanders do! Go to Jack Frost!

Jack Frost Donuts
4960 Pearl Road - at Flowerdale
Cleveland, OH 44109

Open Mon. through Sat. 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

by: Sarah Sloboda