Local Food Economy
This summer, the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation launched an initiative called "Retail Ready" with the objective of filling a slew of vacant storefronts along St. Clair Avenue. In partnership with local landlords, they offered enticements such as reduced rent, free buildout and marketing support. The goal was to create a "big bang" effect in which a number of shops opened simultaneously, bringing new life to this historic street.
Although the project has taken longer than anticipated, it has sparked a lot of fresh interest in the area, says St. Clair Superior Executive Director Michael Fleming. The faded strip also recently celebrated a new tenant, Nx Dance Studio, which opened its doors on Sunday with a room full of line dancers and music spilling out into the street. Three additional retailers are expected to open early next year.
Now, thanks to a $25,375 grant awarded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, St. Clair Superior is gearing up for a major public art project this summer that will beautify the street between E. 62nd and Addison. "Hope-Sketch: St. Clair Avenue Reimagined" will create large-scale public art with community input.
"We've always known that a major component to the 'pop-up neighborhood' would be public art," Fleming says. "Hope-Sketch will involve neighborhood residents and businesses in working with an artist to put together ideas as to what their hopes are for the neighborhood. Then they'll create a temporary art installation for one weekend and the whole street will come alive. Afterwards, a professional design firm, Agnes Studio, will distill the concepts into permanent public art."
Hope-Sketch will be completed in summer of 2013. In February, St. Clair Superior is also planning to celebrate kurentovanje, a Slovenian carnival event that is based on Pagan tradition. By then, Fleming hopes that new retailers such as an art gallery, coffeeshop and bakery will be open, with more on the way.
Source: Michael Fleming
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Although the project has taken longer than anticipated, it has sparked a lot of fresh interest in the area, says St. Clair Superior Executive Director Michael Fleming. The faded strip also recently celebrated a new tenant, Nx Dance Studio, which opened its doors on Sunday with a room full of line dancers and music spilling out into the street. Three additional retailers are expected to open early next year.
Now, thanks to a $25,375 grant awarded by Cuyahoga Arts and Culture, St. Clair Superior is gearing up for a major public art project this summer that will beautify the street between E. 62nd and Addison. "Hope-Sketch: St. Clair Avenue Reimagined" will create large-scale public art with community input.
"We've always known that a major component to the 'pop-up neighborhood' would be public art," Fleming says. "Hope-Sketch will involve neighborhood residents and businesses in working with an artist to put together ideas as to what their hopes are for the neighborhood. Then they'll create a temporary art installation for one weekend and the whole street will come alive. Afterwards, a professional design firm, Agnes Studio, will distill the concepts into permanent public art."
Hope-Sketch will be completed in summer of 2013. In February, St. Clair Superior is also planning to celebrate kurentovanje, a Slovenian carnival event that is based on Pagan tradition. By then, Fleming hopes that new retailers such as an art gallery, coffeeshop and bakery will be open, with more on the way.
Source: Michael Fleming
Writer: Lee Chilcote
It's a match made in culinary heaven, to be certain. Bursting at the seams of their respective home-based kitchens, an artisan cookie maker and a scratch baker have joined forces to open a cozy bakeshop and catering kitchen at 4261 Mayfield in South Euclid.
"It's busier than I expected -- we've got nice foot traffic and neighborhood traffic," says Bob Sferra, owner of the full-service catering company Culinary Occasions, who partnered with Christine Mehling of Better Bit of Butter Cookies to open the Better Occasions Shop. Sferra, who got his start under famed Cleveland chef Parker Bosley, has studied French pastry arts and sources many ingredients locally.
Mehling is known for her creative, artisan cookies, including the cranberry-coconut with lemon glaze and apricot-cashew with lime glaze. She uses only natural products, including real butter and eggs from free-range chickens.
Sferra's business is up about 20 percent from last year, something he attributes to his growing referral-based business and the storefront. "The front is nice. It opens up the conversation to someone wanting to cater a party for the holidays," he says, adding that the shop is "somewhere in between homey and a little bit hip."
Adds Sferra: "When you take butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate and dried fruit and make something without adding any junk… For me, it’s almost like when I was a kid growing up in an Italian family. It’s just good. It’s good and it’s uncomplicated."
The Better Occasions Shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Source: Bob Sferra
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It's busier than I expected -- we've got nice foot traffic and neighborhood traffic," says Bob Sferra, owner of the full-service catering company Culinary Occasions, who partnered with Christine Mehling of Better Bit of Butter Cookies to open the Better Occasions Shop. Sferra, who got his start under famed Cleveland chef Parker Bosley, has studied French pastry arts and sources many ingredients locally.
Mehling is known for her creative, artisan cookies, including the cranberry-coconut with lemon glaze and apricot-cashew with lime glaze. She uses only natural products, including real butter and eggs from free-range chickens.
Sferra's business is up about 20 percent from last year, something he attributes to his growing referral-based business and the storefront. "The front is nice. It opens up the conversation to someone wanting to cater a party for the holidays," he says, adding that the shop is "somewhere in between homey and a little bit hip."
Adds Sferra: "When you take butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate and dried fruit and make something without adding any junk… For me, it’s almost like when I was a kid growing up in an Italian family. It’s just good. It’s good and it’s uncomplicated."
The Better Occasions Shop is open Tuesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Source: Bob Sferra
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Staying put in the 216 for the holidays has never been so easy -- nor so much fun. Thanks to a bevy of new attractions and eateries, combined with wonderful old traditions, locals and visitors alike will have no shortage of festive holiday fun. In this colorful slideshow, Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski highlights some of the season's best eats, treats, and places to be.
steelers fans offered taste of cleveland
Offered as a sort of travel guide to travelling Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently ran a feature titled "On the road with the Steelers: Cleveland."
Writer Gretchen McKay does a great job providing tips on where to eat, drink and enjoy the scene in Cleveland.
"A growing foodie destination with a landmark public market and a lively arts community, there's plenty of fun in store for the weekend traveler. So much, in fact, that Travel and Leisure named it one of America's 'favorite cities' in 2009 for affordability and its rockin' music scene: in addition to one of the world's best-known music museums, it boasts a renowned orchestra," writes McKay.
As for foodie-friendly spots, McKay writes:
"Many of the best tastes of Cleveland can be found in its historic West Side Market in an arched NeoClassical/Byzantine building in the Ohio City neighborhood. In October, the public market celebrated its 100th birthday with a parade, but every day here feels like a celebration for food lovers. Home to more than 100 vendors that show off the city's ethnic diversity -- you'll find everything from Old World smoked meats and pierogies to produce and gourmet cheeses to a French creperie serving to-order sweet and savory crepes -- it's been featured on the Travel Channel and Food Network."
"Even though Cleveland and Pittsburgh have similar demographics, Cleveland's food scene has a higher national profile. As former PG restaurant critic China Millman pointed out in a 2010 travel story, the food here really rocks."
Read the rest of the article here.
Writer Gretchen McKay does a great job providing tips on where to eat, drink and enjoy the scene in Cleveland.
"A growing foodie destination with a landmark public market and a lively arts community, there's plenty of fun in store for the weekend traveler. So much, in fact, that Travel and Leisure named it one of America's 'favorite cities' in 2009 for affordability and its rockin' music scene: in addition to one of the world's best-known music museums, it boasts a renowned orchestra," writes McKay.
As for foodie-friendly spots, McKay writes:
"Many of the best tastes of Cleveland can be found in its historic West Side Market in an arched NeoClassical/Byzantine building in the Ohio City neighborhood. In October, the public market celebrated its 100th birthday with a parade, but every day here feels like a celebration for food lovers. Home to more than 100 vendors that show off the city's ethnic diversity -- you'll find everything from Old World smoked meats and pierogies to produce and gourmet cheeses to a French creperie serving to-order sweet and savory crepes -- it's been featured on the Travel Channel and Food Network."
"Even though Cleveland and Pittsburgh have similar demographics, Cleveland's food scene has a higher national profile. As former PG restaurant critic China Millman pointed out in a 2010 travel story, the food here really rocks."
Read the rest of the article here.
cleveland-based paladar making waves in south florida
Cleveland-based Paladar restaurant is impressing the locals in South Florida, where a new outpost of the Latin-themed eatery recently opened.
In a Miami New Times article titled "Paladar: New Entry at Gulfstream Park Serves Up Winning Latin Fare," the food writer spoke fondly of the new restaurant, which is the fourth in the locally owned chain.
"Who would have thought that a respectable nuevo Latino restaurant would arrive in South Florida by way of Cleveland and Annapolis? Well, that's what's happened with the opening of Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar at The Village at Gulfstream Park. Paladar got its start in Cleveland in 2007 and opened in Annapolis three years later. A fourth location will be opening soon in Bethesda."
"Always on the lookout for new places to eat and drink, Short Order checked out Paladar and was impressed with the setting, ambiance, service and food."
Read the rest right here.
In a Miami New Times article titled "Paladar: New Entry at Gulfstream Park Serves Up Winning Latin Fare," the food writer spoke fondly of the new restaurant, which is the fourth in the locally owned chain.
"Who would have thought that a respectable nuevo Latino restaurant would arrive in South Florida by way of Cleveland and Annapolis? Well, that's what's happened with the opening of Paladar Latin Kitchen and Rum Bar at The Village at Gulfstream Park. Paladar got its start in Cleveland in 2007 and opened in Annapolis three years later. A fourth location will be opening soon in Bethesda."
"Always on the lookout for new places to eat and drink, Short Order checked out Paladar and was impressed with the setting, ambiance, service and food."
Read the rest right here.
Since Eddie 'n Eddie opened its doors in downtown Lakewood, the place has been jamming, a testament to the growing foodie culture that has sprung up in the heart of this inner-ring suburb.
"With all of the restaurants here like Deagan's, Melt, and the Beer Engine, downtown Lakewood is really becoming a destination," says co-owner Eddie Cerino Jr., who created the restaurant along with his father, Eddie Cerino Sr. "It's not just locals. People are coming in from the 'burbs, and that's a great thing."
Eddie 'n Eddie is described as Americana-style food with Southern flair. Propping up the tag line "burgers, bourbon and apple pie" is a menu of prime and choice cut ground beef burgers, an extensive list of handpicked bourbons, and apple pies baked from scratch using the family's recipe.
"This is a concept that I have always wanted to open, inspired by a couple of restaurants in New York City," says Eddie Jr., who also owns Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino in Seven Hills. "I saw how big and hot bourbon was at these places."
At Eddie 'n Eddie, bourbon isn't simply on the menu -- it is soaked deep into it. The apple pies, desserts and sauces all have a touch of Wild Turkey. "It's gonna add that distinct caramel sweetness to it -- that's why it makes a fantastic barbeque sauce," says Eddie Jr. "When we do pecan pie, we do a bourbon glaze with it, and that light cream sauce really complements the pie."
Cerino is excited for World of Beers to open a franchise next door in February. The venue allows patrons to carry in food from other establishments. With Eddie 'n Eddie right next door, Cerino is chomping at the bit for a piece of the action.
Source: Eddie Cerino Jr.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"With all of the restaurants here like Deagan's, Melt, and the Beer Engine, downtown Lakewood is really becoming a destination," says co-owner Eddie Cerino Jr., who created the restaurant along with his father, Eddie Cerino Sr. "It's not just locals. People are coming in from the 'burbs, and that's a great thing."
Eddie 'n Eddie is described as Americana-style food with Southern flair. Propping up the tag line "burgers, bourbon and apple pie" is a menu of prime and choice cut ground beef burgers, an extensive list of handpicked bourbons, and apple pies baked from scratch using the family's recipe.
"This is a concept that I have always wanted to open, inspired by a couple of restaurants in New York City," says Eddie Jr., who also owns Eddie's Pizzeria Cerino in Seven Hills. "I saw how big and hot bourbon was at these places."
At Eddie 'n Eddie, bourbon isn't simply on the menu -- it is soaked deep into it. The apple pies, desserts and sauces all have a touch of Wild Turkey. "It's gonna add that distinct caramel sweetness to it -- that's why it makes a fantastic barbeque sauce," says Eddie Jr. "When we do pecan pie, we do a bourbon glaze with it, and that light cream sauce really complements the pie."
Cerino is excited for World of Beers to open a franchise next door in February. The venue allows patrons to carry in food from other establishments. With Eddie 'n Eddie right next door, Cerino is chomping at the bit for a piece of the action.
Source: Eddie Cerino Jr.
Writer: Lee Chilcote
vision for local food system outlined in artsy animation
This animated video premiered at the 4th Annual Sustainable Cleveland Summit in September.
"It illustrates the vision for a local and sustainable food system in the Cleveland region, and how people can get involved," explains Jenita McGowan of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability "As part of the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 year of local foods celebration, we wanted to create a video that is fun, simple and easy to understand. It is our goal that this video resonates specifically with residents of Northeast Ohio using recognizable icons, such as the West Side Market.”
This animated video premiered at the 4th Annual Sustainable Cleveland Summit in September.
"It illustrates the vision for a local and sustainable food system in the Cleveland region, and how people can get involved," explains Jenita McGowan of the Mayor's Office of Sustainability "As part of the Sustainable Cleveland 2019 year of local foods celebration, we wanted to create a video that is fun, simple and easy to understand. It is our goal that this video resonates specifically with residents of Northeast Ohio using recognizable icons, such as the West Side Market.”
eater does 'heat check' on cleveland dining scene
Eater, a national website covering food, drink and chefs, published a list of the go-to places in Cleveland to eat right now.
“It's been over a year since we last looked at Cleveland's hottest restaurants, so today we circle back and focus on ten new openings that have been garnering serious buzz,” writes Gabe Ulla of Eater.
Food writer and Fresh Water managing editor Douglas Trattner clues Ulla in on some of the newest, hottest dining spots Cleveland has to offer.
“Among the choices: a very tasty restaurant that borrows from Korea, Japan, and several other Asian countries (Accent), an excellent sit-down taco and margaritas spot (Barrio), food truck man Chris Hodgson's new brick-and-mortar (Hodge's), and a place that bills itself as "pan-Southern" (SoHo Kitchen and Bar).”
“It's been over a year since we last looked at Cleveland's hottest restaurants, so today we circle back and focus on ten new openings that have been garnering serious buzz,” writes Gabe Ulla of Eater.
Food writer and Fresh Water managing editor Douglas Trattner clues Ulla in on some of the newest, hottest dining spots Cleveland has to offer.
“Among the choices: a very tasty restaurant that borrows from Korea, Japan, and several other Asian countries (Accent), an excellent sit-down taco and margaritas spot (Barrio), food truck man Chris Hodgson's new brick-and-mortar (Hodge's), and a place that bills itself as "pan-Southern" (SoHo Kitchen and Bar).”
Check out the full piece chock full of information and details here.
Doug Katz, chef-owner of the popular Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, has purchased the defunct diners on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights and plans to use them as home base for his growing catering operation and open a funky, artisanal deli.
"It's a perfect catering kitchen," says Katz of the 3,000 square foot kitchen in the rear of the diner cars. "In one of the diner cars, I'm going to create a Fire-quality diner that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the other one, I'm going to create a space people can use for a catered function."
Katz, who lives in Cleveland Heights, fell in love with the diners 10 years ago when one of his neighbors, Big Fun owner Steve Presser, bought them in Maryland and New Jersey and then opened Dottie's Diner and Sweet City Diner. Although the project was unsuccessful, Katz hopes to realize some of Presser's original vision.
"We want to do something that the neighborhood really could use," he says. "The location is just sort of sleeping right now. The Bottlehouse is there. We're going to create a little district for ourselves and extend the Cedar-Lee District north."
The yet-to-be-named diner will offer egg dishes, locally roasted coffee, housemade baked goods that may include sticky buns and donuts, and classic diner items like hot and cold sandwiches, soups and salads that can be ordered in or made to go.
"This will not be the dollar-ninety-nine, blue plate special diner," he says, citing prices in the $10-15 range for main dishes. "It's going to be all about supporting local farmers and offering people the kind of diner experience I can be proud of."
Katz will also offer deli trays for parties. "We're going to do it in a really awesome house-made way," he says. "If we do a club sandwich, we'll make our own bacon."
Katz is shooting for a March opening.
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"It's a perfect catering kitchen," says Katz of the 3,000 square foot kitchen in the rear of the diner cars. "In one of the diner cars, I'm going to create a Fire-quality diner that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the other one, I'm going to create a space people can use for a catered function."
Katz, who lives in Cleveland Heights, fell in love with the diners 10 years ago when one of his neighbors, Big Fun owner Steve Presser, bought them in Maryland and New Jersey and then opened Dottie's Diner and Sweet City Diner. Although the project was unsuccessful, Katz hopes to realize some of Presser's original vision.
"We want to do something that the neighborhood really could use," he says. "The location is just sort of sleeping right now. The Bottlehouse is there. We're going to create a little district for ourselves and extend the Cedar-Lee District north."
The yet-to-be-named diner will offer egg dishes, locally roasted coffee, housemade baked goods that may include sticky buns and donuts, and classic diner items like hot and cold sandwiches, soups and salads that can be ordered in or made to go.
"This will not be the dollar-ninety-nine, blue plate special diner," he says, citing prices in the $10-15 range for main dishes. "It's going to be all about supporting local farmers and offering people the kind of diner experience I can be proud of."
Katz will also offer deli trays for parties. "We're going to do it in a really awesome house-made way," he says. "If we do a club sandwich, we'll make our own bacon."
Katz is shooting for a March opening.
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
By design, the life of a celebrity looks effortless. But the engine that drives that lifestyle is a non-stop schedule that would sap the strength of far weaker men. I know, because I tried to keep up with celebrity chef Michael Symon during a recent visit home that included business meetings, book signings, restaurant visits and too-brief social get-togethers.
Last weekend, the city of Cleveland celebrated the 100th birthday of the West Side Market in style. Thousands of locals and visitors made their way to Ohio City to take part in one or more events held in the Market's honor. Fresh Water photographer Bob Perkoski covered the events for the magazine.
foodbeast goes gaga for noodlecat's clam chowder udon
In an item titled, "This is What Clam Chowder Udon Looks Like," Dominique Zamora writes about Noodlecat for the popular blog Foodbeast.
“Earlier this week I had a chance to fly out to Cleveland, Ohio, for Certified Angus Beef’s 2012 Culinary Ideation and Trends Session," she begins. "The post for all that is coming soon, but while I was there, I also caught wind of at least one food item I never thought I would hear about, ever.”
“Clam. Chowder. Udon.”
Zamora is awestruck by the Noodlecat dish, a fusion creation that combines udon noodles, potatoes, celery, onions, and bacon in a creamy clam broth.
"This explosion of East meets . . . further . . . East comes from Cleveland-based restaurant Noodlecat, which opened in August 2011. Branded as a 'slurpalicious Japanese-American mash-up from Chef Jonathon Sawyer,' much of Noodlecat’s menu looks like what happens when a college student decides to go to culinary school and comes back to make the exact same foods he made before, only a million times better."
Read the full Foodbeast post here.
“Earlier this week I had a chance to fly out to Cleveland, Ohio, for Certified Angus Beef’s 2012 Culinary Ideation and Trends Session," she begins. "The post for all that is coming soon, but while I was there, I also caught wind of at least one food item I never thought I would hear about, ever.”
“Clam. Chowder. Udon.”
Zamora is awestruck by the Noodlecat dish, a fusion creation that combines udon noodles, potatoes, celery, onions, and bacon in a creamy clam broth.
"This explosion of East meets . . . further . . . East comes from Cleveland-based restaurant Noodlecat, which opened in August 2011. Branded as a 'slurpalicious Japanese-American mash-up from Chef Jonathon Sawyer,' much of Noodlecat’s menu looks like what happens when a college student decides to go to culinary school and comes back to make the exact same foods he made before, only a million times better."
Read the full Foodbeast post here.
The iconic Sammy's Restaurant reigned over the Flats during the entertainment district's erstwhile heyday from 1980 through 2000. Now the venue is making a comeback in a new, transformed location at PlayhouseSquare that is set to open in December.
"We've always been restauranteurs at heart, and we wanted to get back to our roots," says Dena DiOrio of Sammy's, which has focused on catering and facility management for the past decade. "We're excited to bring more energy to a neighborhood that's really thriving."
The opportunity presented itself when the previous tenant, Star Restaurant, closed earlier this year. Sammy's is the caterer for PlayhouseSquare, so the choice was a logical one. The restaurant is being completely redesigned, DiOrio says.
"It will be a completely different storefront," she says. "You'll be able to see through the restaurant to the back wall, which was previously closed in. We're replacing it with a glass wall so visitors can see into the Ohio Theatre lobby."
The restaurant also will have a new entrance off Euclid Avenue, as well as a new layout with a "salon" in the front, bar in the middle and seating area in the back.
DiOrio says that Sammy's aim is to capitalize on PlayhouseSquare's identity as a 24/7 neighborhood and entertainment district whose vitality is fueled by its historic theatres. "We want to make it a destination restaurant."
Sammy's owner Denise Marie Fugo, who is DiOrio's mother, says that the new restaurant will perfectly blend the family's trifecta of experience in restaurants, catering and event management. "Most customers want us to do some kind of concession and banquet management. But we're restaurant people first."
The menu will feature modern American cuisine -- a mixture of small plates, classic Sammy's entrees and new signature entrees. Drink offerings include artisanal wines, microbrews, handcrafted spirits and signature cocktails.
Sammy's at PlayhouseSquare will be located at 1515 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Dena DiOrio
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"We've always been restauranteurs at heart, and we wanted to get back to our roots," says Dena DiOrio of Sammy's, which has focused on catering and facility management for the past decade. "We're excited to bring more energy to a neighborhood that's really thriving."
The opportunity presented itself when the previous tenant, Star Restaurant, closed earlier this year. Sammy's is the caterer for PlayhouseSquare, so the choice was a logical one. The restaurant is being completely redesigned, DiOrio says.
"It will be a completely different storefront," she says. "You'll be able to see through the restaurant to the back wall, which was previously closed in. We're replacing it with a glass wall so visitors can see into the Ohio Theatre lobby."
The restaurant also will have a new entrance off Euclid Avenue, as well as a new layout with a "salon" in the front, bar in the middle and seating area in the back.
DiOrio says that Sammy's aim is to capitalize on PlayhouseSquare's identity as a 24/7 neighborhood and entertainment district whose vitality is fueled by its historic theatres. "We want to make it a destination restaurant."
Sammy's owner Denise Marie Fugo, who is DiOrio's mother, says that the new restaurant will perfectly blend the family's trifecta of experience in restaurants, catering and event management. "Most customers want us to do some kind of concession and banquet management. But we're restaurant people first."
The menu will feature modern American cuisine -- a mixture of small plates, classic Sammy's entrees and new signature entrees. Drink offerings include artisanal wines, microbrews, handcrafted spirits and signature cocktails.
Sammy's at PlayhouseSquare will be located at 1515 Euclid Avenue.
Source: Dena DiOrio
Writer: Lee Chilcote
Skull-faced children and adults danced through the streets of the Gordon Square Arts District last Saturday afternoon, followed by tall, cadaverous puppets and altars overflowing with flowers and other remembrances of those who have passed on to the next realm.
There was nothing to be afraid of, however; the macabre and colorful carrying-on was in celebration of the Day of the Dead, a Latin-American holiday that pays joyful homage to lost relatives. El Día de los Muertos is meant to be more reflective than sad or scary, says Hector Castellanos, the event's coordinator and artistic director.
This year's Cleveland-centric Day of the Dead festival drew a large crowd to the arts district on a chilly fall afternoon. Attendees enjoyed a parade, music, folk art and food truck fare. Castellanos doesn't have attendance figures yet, but the event has drawn between 1,200 and 1,400 people each of the last two years.
"People came from all over the region," he says. "There was a lot of energy and passion."
Gordon Square has hosted the Day of the Dead celebration for five years, with the festival marching through Cleveland's East Side the three years before that. While Cleveland's Latino population was well represented last weekend, many non-Latinos came for the festivities as well. There were many hands involved in building floats and making puppets. Area businesses got in on the fun, too, decorating storefronts with skulls and other symbols of the ancient holiday.
"The whole neighborhood got involved," says Castellanos, a native of Guatemala. "It's a powerful event."
Cleveland artist Bruce Buchanan built an altar representing the surrounding West Side neighborhood and the people who once lived there. The shrine is decorated with rows of colorful houses fronted by abstract skeletons, while tiny flags scrawled with the names of deceased former residents are placed on the alter along with offerings of food, flowers and candles.
"We're helping to build the neighborhood now, but these people built the neighborhood in the first place," says Buchanan. "That's something we should respect."
Meanwhile, Castellanos already is planning to make next year's celebration bigger and better. "It's spiritual and educational, with so much history behind it," he says. "It also brings the community together, and that's one of the most important aspects for me."
SOURCES: Hector Castellanos, Bruce Buchanan
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
There was nothing to be afraid of, however; the macabre and colorful carrying-on was in celebration of the Day of the Dead, a Latin-American holiday that pays joyful homage to lost relatives. El Día de los Muertos is meant to be more reflective than sad or scary, says Hector Castellanos, the event's coordinator and artistic director.
This year's Cleveland-centric Day of the Dead festival drew a large crowd to the arts district on a chilly fall afternoon. Attendees enjoyed a parade, music, folk art and food truck fare. Castellanos doesn't have attendance figures yet, but the event has drawn between 1,200 and 1,400 people each of the last two years.
"People came from all over the region," he says. "There was a lot of energy and passion."
Gordon Square has hosted the Day of the Dead celebration for five years, with the festival marching through Cleveland's East Side the three years before that. While Cleveland's Latino population was well represented last weekend, many non-Latinos came for the festivities as well. There were many hands involved in building floats and making puppets. Area businesses got in on the fun, too, decorating storefronts with skulls and other symbols of the ancient holiday.
"The whole neighborhood got involved," says Castellanos, a native of Guatemala. "It's a powerful event."
Cleveland artist Bruce Buchanan built an altar representing the surrounding West Side neighborhood and the people who once lived there. The shrine is decorated with rows of colorful houses fronted by abstract skeletons, while tiny flags scrawled with the names of deceased former residents are placed on the alter along with offerings of food, flowers and candles.
"We're helping to build the neighborhood now, but these people built the neighborhood in the first place," says Buchanan. "That's something we should respect."
Meanwhile, Castellanos already is planning to make next year's celebration bigger and better. "It's spiritual and educational, with so much history behind it," he says. "It also brings the community together, and that's one of the most important aspects for me."
SOURCES: Hector Castellanos, Bruce Buchanan
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Local firms like TWIST Creative, Go Media and Studio Graphique are just a few of the design-minded companies that are fueling Cleveland's creative renaissance. With the region's future success dependent on the procurement of young talent, the design community's exciting body of work is earning the city regional and national buzz.
'downtown is moving' in this non-hastily made video
Downtown Cleveland... It's Here.
That's what the folks at Downtown Cleveland Alliance persuasively illustrate in their latest video release. Produced by Fusion Filmworks, the flashy 4-minute video shows off just some of our city's assets.
More than a campaign, Downtown Cleveland Alliance is about downtown businesses and people taking matters into their own hands to make positive things happen. And from the looks of things, it's working.
That's what the folks at Downtown Cleveland Alliance persuasively illustrate in their latest video release. Produced by Fusion Filmworks, the flashy 4-minute video shows off just some of our city's assets.
More than a campaign, Downtown Cleveland Alliance is about downtown businesses and people taking matters into their own hands to make positive things happen. And from the looks of things, it's working.
Huntington Bank has lived up to its $4 billion commitment to small business and was honored October 24 by the Small Business Administration as the Grand Slam winner for SBA lending in the Cleveland district for fiscal year 2012. The bank led in every SBA lending category: number of loans; loan volume; minority lending; and 504 lending. Huntington also earned the Grand Slam title in 2011 and the Triple Play title in 2010. Huntington is the third largest SBA lender in the country.
“We’re committed to Cleveland as a company,” says Huntington’s Greater Cleveland president Dan Walsh. “We’re pleased with the results, not just for Huntington, but for Cleveland. There’s a great renaissance going on here and we believe we can lead the country in investments.”
Melt Bar and Grilled is just one growing small business that has benefitted from Huntington’s commitment. Melt owner Matt Fish was self-funded through his first three restaurants, but looked to banks when he decided to expand even more.
“We were looking for a financial institution we could partner with long term,” says Fish. “Huntington really stepped up. I was looking for a bank to perform for us, and the SBA was looking for a strong company. It was a win-win situation.” Fish opens his fourth restaurant this week in Mentor.
Walsh sees Melt as the ideal client to grow the economy in Northeast Ohio. “They are the lifeblood for jobs creation and economic growth for our community,” he says. “They have a sustainability model that helps grow and sustain business, which is good for our business.”
Sources: Dan Walsh, Matt Fish
Writer: Karin Connelly
“We’re committed to Cleveland as a company,” says Huntington’s Greater Cleveland president Dan Walsh. “We’re pleased with the results, not just for Huntington, but for Cleveland. There’s a great renaissance going on here and we believe we can lead the country in investments.”
Melt Bar and Grilled is just one growing small business that has benefitted from Huntington’s commitment. Melt owner Matt Fish was self-funded through his first three restaurants, but looked to banks when he decided to expand even more.
“We were looking for a financial institution we could partner with long term,” says Fish. “Huntington really stepped up. I was looking for a bank to perform for us, and the SBA was looking for a strong company. It was a win-win situation.” Fish opens his fourth restaurant this week in Mentor.
Walsh sees Melt as the ideal client to grow the economy in Northeast Ohio. “They are the lifeblood for jobs creation and economic growth for our community,” he says. “They have a sustainability model that helps grow and sustain business, which is good for our business.”
Sources: Dan Walsh, Matt Fish
Writer: Karin Connelly
A school garden is a real, living world, a type of lab that offers teachers a way to embed creativity, collaboration and love for nature into their curriculum, believes Carlton Jackson, a farmer, self-described "food evangelist" and proprietor of Tunnel Vision Hoops, a provider of hoop houses that allow for year-round food production.
The Cleveland-based company is offering Cuyahoga County public school students grades K-8 a chance to win a hoop house for their school. The Gardens that Teach contest, which runs through February, asks students a series of questions about the preparation, construction and maintenance of a theoretical school garden. Answers will be reviewed by a panel of experts from the realms of food policy, botany and community gardening.
The winning school will receive the greenhouse-like hoop house, while the other participants will learn about the benefits of plants, year-round gardening and healthy eating, says Jackson. "We wanted kids to use their math skills," he adds. For example, "how many pounds of tomatoes can they get? What will the do with the food once it's grown?"
Hoop houses provide a high-temperature environment that protects crops from strong winds, cold and frost, allowing fruits and vegetables to grow during gardening's so-called "off-season," Jackson says.
The concept also is in line with the city's Sustainable Cleveland 2019 project, a movement that in part aims to increase the percentage of locally produced food. Mayor Frank Jackson also proclaimed October 24 to be Food Day, a national venture with the overriding objective of "eating real" and promoting healthy diets among the population.
The Gardens That Teach contest is certainly a nourishing exercise for Northeast Ohio's young students, says Jackson.
"There's a wonderment in watching something grow," he says. "If we can kids back to that, it would be a beautiful thing."
SOURCE: Carlton Jackson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
The Cleveland-based company is offering Cuyahoga County public school students grades K-8 a chance to win a hoop house for their school. The Gardens that Teach contest, which runs through February, asks students a series of questions about the preparation, construction and maintenance of a theoretical school garden. Answers will be reviewed by a panel of experts from the realms of food policy, botany and community gardening.
The winning school will receive the greenhouse-like hoop house, while the other participants will learn about the benefits of plants, year-round gardening and healthy eating, says Jackson. "We wanted kids to use their math skills," he adds. For example, "how many pounds of tomatoes can they get? What will the do with the food once it's grown?"
Hoop houses provide a high-temperature environment that protects crops from strong winds, cold and frost, allowing fruits and vegetables to grow during gardening's so-called "off-season," Jackson says.
The concept also is in line with the city's Sustainable Cleveland 2019 project, a movement that in part aims to increase the percentage of locally produced food. Mayor Frank Jackson also proclaimed October 24 to be Food Day, a national venture with the overriding objective of "eating real" and promoting healthy diets among the population.
The Gardens That Teach contest is certainly a nourishing exercise for Northeast Ohio's young students, says Jackson.
"There's a wonderment in watching something grow," he says. "If we can kids back to that, it would be a beautiful thing."
SOURCE: Carlton Jackson
WRITER: Douglas J. Guth
Doug Katz, chef-owner of Fire Food and Drink at Shaker Square, has partnered with Bon Appetit Management Company to open Provenance, a new restaurant and cafe at the Cleveland Museum of Art that blends locally sourced food with world cuisine.
"The name is so perfect for what I'm trying to create here," says Katz. The word provenance refers to the history of the ownership of an object. "We want to know where our food comes from just as the museum knows the lineage of its art, where it comes from and its authenticity."
Katz, whom museum head David Franklin calls CMA's "curator of food," says that Provenance actually is two venues in one. The 200-seat cafe offers quick service, while the 76-seat restaurant next door is a fine-dining establishment. Yet both offer made-to-order items carefully orchestrated by the celebrated chef.
The restaurant offers a limited menu of seven items emphasizing world cuisine. For instance, in tandem with CMA's exhibition "Wari: Lord of the Ancient Andes," Katz has designed a three-course prix fixe menu of Peruvian dishes. The cafe features world cuisine as well, but with a decidedly local flair. Right now, for example, visitors can order a Moroccan skewer platter with autumn vegetables. The chef makes a concerted effort to source much of his produce from area farmers.
The pastries are made from scratch by Luna Bakery, and Rising Star provides the coffee. "We're able to do all these things fresh, yet also support local businesses."
When asked about the source of his inspiration, Katz says, "We want it to be the quality of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, or of some European cafe somewhere. Yet I don't think there's a concept like this anywhere, to be honest."
The cafe's sleekly designed interior is attractive, but likely the best seats are at the tables near the museum's vast new atrium. "It's like a town center in University Circle. To see it come alive, it's such a great community spot."
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote
"The name is so perfect for what I'm trying to create here," says Katz. The word provenance refers to the history of the ownership of an object. "We want to know where our food comes from just as the museum knows the lineage of its art, where it comes from and its authenticity."
Katz, whom museum head David Franklin calls CMA's "curator of food," says that Provenance actually is two venues in one. The 200-seat cafe offers quick service, while the 76-seat restaurant next door is a fine-dining establishment. Yet both offer made-to-order items carefully orchestrated by the celebrated chef.
The restaurant offers a limited menu of seven items emphasizing world cuisine. For instance, in tandem with CMA's exhibition "Wari: Lord of the Ancient Andes," Katz has designed a three-course prix fixe menu of Peruvian dishes. The cafe features world cuisine as well, but with a decidedly local flair. Right now, for example, visitors can order a Moroccan skewer platter with autumn vegetables. The chef makes a concerted effort to source much of his produce from area farmers.
The pastries are made from scratch by Luna Bakery, and Rising Star provides the coffee. "We're able to do all these things fresh, yet also support local businesses."
When asked about the source of his inspiration, Katz says, "We want it to be the quality of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, or of some European cafe somewhere. Yet I don't think there's a concept like this anywhere, to be honest."
The cafe's sleekly designed interior is attractive, but likely the best seats are at the tables near the museum's vast new atrium. "It's like a town center in University Circle. To see it come alive, it's such a great community spot."
Source: Doug Katz
Writer: Lee Chilcote