A Piece Of Cleveland

7.16-7.23.08
A Piece of Cleveland

In this week’s issue:

We’re all about Cleveland. And by Cleveland we mean this entire part of the state; what has become known as the Cleveland Plus region. Many of our readers may remember that I co-founded the Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology with James Levin, and this year, we’re proud to host the opening night party with all the fixings, along with a nice discount ticket offer. This week I was pleased to be able to spend some time with Ingenuity video artist Kidist Getachew, an Ethiopian talent who has made Cleveland her new home. Click below to hear about A Piece of Cleveland, who are reclaiming more than just our region’s beautiful wood. It’s an honor to call Jack Ricchiuto & George Nemeth my friends, and our video interview in Tremont showcases their new book on building community. Click below to hear about the potential of Cleveland’s legendary League Park by Mansfield Frazier, and to listen in on an interview with sportswriter Terry Pluto. Your piece of Cleveland is just a click away. —Thomas Mulready

Blow your mind once again. It’s Cool Cleveland’s special offer for the upcoming Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology. Because of our close association with this Festival, we were able to organize a great party package for Cool Cleveland readers on Fri 7/25 from 5:30-7:30PM: open bar featuring beer & wine, hors d’oeuvres, a special exclusive performance, plus a comp admission ticket so you can experience the coolest festival of the year! But you must act fast. Get your discount tix here before midnight Thu 7/17 when the price goes up.

The party takes place right inside the Ingenuity Tech Center + Gallery in the Halle Building, the perfect place for our Cool Cleveland jam session. Nosh, drink & network at will, be the first to see the Tech Center exhibits and special performance, then step out and explore the entire Ingenuity Fest on Friday during Opening Night festivities with your complimentary admission to take in the full range of Ingenuity activities and presentations. Map here. Discount tix here.

You Get All This:

Reserve your place now before midnight Thu 7/17, because our ticket prices rise each week. Join your friends and colleagues and be a part of the action as Cleveland is transformed by technology and art:
https://coolcleveland.net/tickets/072508/index.php

Get comp tix to Ingenuity and the Cool Cleveland party by volunteering to usher at our cool event on Fri 7/25 from 5:30-7:30PM. It’s nothing you can’t handle. Info@CoolCleveland.com

Kidist Getachew
Angels By Night
Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology

Kidist Getachew moved to Cleveland from Addis Ababa, Ethopia for the same reason that a lot of young people move here: to attend higher education. After a few career changes, she received her Masters in 2007 in Digital Arts and now is Adjunct Faculty at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Now, as it turns out, she won’t leave because she fell in love with one particular aspect of Cleveland. Watch the video interview with Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready to learn more.

Her video work for Ingenuity, Angels By Night, was inspired by the Northern Ethiopian village of Laibela, a Christian Orthodox culture which has carved cathedrals out of stone, and which has changed little in 900 years. Her three-DVD projection video work explores spirituality and will be presented in the All Go Alley off Huron Road behind Star Plaza where this video was shot. You can get discount tix to the Cool Cleveland Ingenuity opening night party here. More info on Kidist can be found here: http://www.kidist.com. Ingenuity Festival info: http://www.IngenuityCleveland.com.

Cool Cleveland is growing and looking for experienced salespersons looking to put the passion back in their careers. If you’re a top performer ready to engage your community, send resume and comprehensive cover letter to: Info@CoolCleveland.com. And the letter, FYI, is most important.

SPONSORED: Two is Better than One That’s why you’re so lucky to live in a region served by a couple of airports. Between Cleveland Hopkins and Akron-Canton airports, you have twice as much chance finding the lower fare you want aboard a flight that suits you. So make sure you always type “CLE” and “CAK” into the search engine whenever you’re on the ‘net looking for a flight. It’s the one way to make sure you get the best deal. Always find the lowest airfare. Always search CLE and CAK.

A Piece of Cleveland… and Much More Than That
Quartet of Furniture-making Muskateers Deconstructs, Reclaims

Far from behaving wooden themselves, the four guys who make up A Piece of Cleveland display non-stop esprit de corps while they build their professional careers out of reclaimed, top-quality wood. They are like a lively band of musketeers, only this time, instead of saving the poor downtrodden peasant from the greedy king, they are saving good wood from demolition. Meet the wood rescuers: PJ Doran (42), Aaron Gogolin (30), Chris Kious (35), and Ezra Taxel (30), the four principals who have formed a new company called A Piece of Cleveland (APOC).

Three of these fellows were born in Cleveland, and Kious moved here as a young boy. They are all ardent supporters of the city. Before teaming up with Taxel and Kious, Doran and Gogolin each had their own woodworking businesses. Kious continues to maintain his job as the housing services manager for the St. Clair Superior Development Corporation while also heading up APOC’s effort to scout and acquire its materials in his spare time.

Believing in the “deconstruction” model, Kious finds old structures condemned to demolition and makes arrangements with the owners to retrieve the salvageable wood and metals from these deteriorating buildings. The reclaimed materials are brought back to APOC’s 7,000 square-foot studio, filled with shelving, table saws, sanders, and planers, in the Tyler Elevator Complex at East 36th Street. The wood is de-nailed and grouped by locations, and awaits later planing, sanding, and design…
Read more from Susan Schaul here

Teachers learn a thing or two from students at a great event at the end of the month. Learn more here

HOT Coventry Street Arts Fair It’s a party like no other Thu 7/17 from 6 – 9PM, featuring a spectacular slate of arts and culture events. Check out the bands Cats on Holiday and Brittany Reilly with her Almost Acoustic Band, the Something Dada comedy troupe, the Cleveland Jazz Project and puppet ninjas!! The Cleveland Museum of Art will be running family art projects during the evening and Coventry merchants will hold their traditional “Sidewalk Sale.” Grab some nosh from Coventry restaurants and check out local artists, farmers, and vendors. Spend Your Summers at the Coventry Street Arts Fairs! http://www.coventryvillage.org/events.html.

Movies, Music & More Music under the Coventry Peace Arch is a part of the fun at the Coventry Street Fair (see above) Thu 7/17 from 7 – 9PM. The band Rare Blend will perform live, featuring their interpretation of the silent movie classic, Metropolis from 1927. There’s a vintage bike parade beforehand. Evening sponsored by CH-UH Libraries and Bike Week Cleveland, Coventry Peace and Coventry Village Special Improvement District. http://www.coventryvillage.org/events.html.

Kids Grape Camp Looking for a unique camp experience the whole family can enjoy? The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake’s first annual Grape Camp on hits Fri 7/18 – Sat 7/19 (repeating its programming for another group of campers in mid-August). Families can scour a local vineyard in search of scavenger hunt clues, perfect the art of making homemade grape juice, enjoy grape stories by a roaring campfire…all the while learning about the Northeast Ohio grape industry. Details and registration at http://www.thelodgeatgeneva.com.

AST Tour/Right Guard Open The four-day cycle/skate event at North Coast Harbor starts Fri 7/18 and runs through the weekend. The AST Dew Tour is the world’s premier season-long action sports tour; more than 250 of the world’s top skateboard, BMX and freestyle motocross athletes will compete in Cleveland for the second of five events on the 2008 season. And the rockin’ Plain White T’s close the shindig. Details, schedule and directions here.

HOT Walk+Roll™ Lakewood will celebrate Lakewood’s greatest assets – the lakefront, historic housing stock and vibrant commercial district – on foot, bike, skateboard, wheelchair or stroller. This evening event on closed stretches of Detroit and Belle Ave., and is expected to attract thousands from across the region Sat 7/19. Programming includes activities that encourage movement and exploration. Click here to see Bogotá Columbia’s version of this very progressive concept. http://www.walkroll.com. http://www.mainstreetlakewood.org.

HOT Jim Donovan and Drum the Ecstatic International The founding member of multi-platinum recording artists Rusted Root is a percussion player/enthusiast’s dream. Get the rhythm Sat 7/19 with doors at 7:30PM. This captivating, energizing concert experience promises an exhilarating blend of early Rusted Root, positivity of Bob Marley, and the thumping soul of an African village! There’s also a day-long drum camp-clinic experience for kids 13 and up beforehand (registration is required). Performance located at Stocker Arts Center, Lorain County Community College, 1005 N. Abbe Rd., Elyria. Details for the show and camp-clinic are available at http://www.commongroundcenter.org.

Python Day Find art, nature, and history by spending time in Peninsula during its Python Day, a community celebration on Saturday, July 19, where python sculptures, a pie eating contest, music, games, a scavenger hunt, and a costume parade will brighten a summer’s day. Go to http://www.explorepeninsula.com for information.

Family Friendly Days at the Manor House of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens happen periodically through the summer. The next installment drops Sun 7/19 with cool self-guided tours and the History First Hand troupe, who will bring the history of the Manor House and grounds to life, just as it appeared back in the 1920s. Visitors will encounter characters portraying employees and friends of Gertrude and F.A. Seiberling. http://www.stanhywet.org.

HOT Lake Erie Adventure Week begins at the Great Lakes Science Center on Mon 7/21 with the best Lake Erie has to offer. The week-long celebration of everything that makes our lake great features screenings of Mysteries of the Great Lakes, an OMNIMAX film and a number of live, interactive exhibits! Explore density by experimenting with objects that sink or float, then follow a rain drop from your back yard, to Lake Erie and back to your kitchen sink! Enjoy family games and activities, hear experts and scientists speak about the lake and learn about the anatomy of wetlands and fish! See daily schedule for additional times and programming at http://www.greatscience.com.

KidzArt at Cain Park this Wed 7/23 features the Inlet Dance group, which you can read all about in this week’s CC Preview section. It’s no cost, the kids get a whole lotta culture in a beautiful setting and get to see some of the area’s best dance work performed live and on stage! What could be better? http://www.cainpark.com.

SPONSORED: Experience It Cleveland Public Library presents The Urban Experience Summit “Spoken Word” on Sat 7/19 at 3PM at the Martin Luther King Branch, 1962 Stokes Boulevard. Join us for artistic expressions in words and music presented by some of Cleveland’s most notable native sons and daughters: Kisha Nicole Foster, Maxwell Shell, ReGina Crawford, Mary Player and Swank, Esquire Banks and the Shaw High School Student Poetry Collective. Info: 216-623-2822 or www.cpl.org.

Cool Cleveland Kids Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events for kids & families from 11-year-old Cool Cleveland Kids correspondent Max.

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Strickland high on econ virtues here in the state of Ohio. Click
Cle Clinic earns #1 in heart care from the mighty U.S. News & World Report. Click
Akron Nat’l burger fest makes Real Simple Top 10 list for “America’s Best Food Festivals!” Click and Click Again!
Oberlin Conservatory student Joseph Ripka wins 1st Prize at the Dublin Int’l Organ Competition! Click
A good financing story on Port Authority can be found by clicking here
Antsy about the MedMart/Conv Center? MM-SVP Falanga offers a bit of advice: Patience, Grasshopper!
Cle native, Sci-Fi author’s estate in dispute according to CNN.com article here
Women’s Network of Ohio offers encouragement, support for progress of women in economic, community and family life. Click
Great Lakes Brewing Co. celebrates 20 years with a phenomenal limited edition of their Dortmunder. Sip
Goodtime III 50th Anniversary features “Discount Days” for patrons. Click
Check out the cool, artsy shopping and gifting ideas at this local site. Click
New Ohio City dining spot Jazz 28 is open for business. Click
Apollo’s Fire starts new season and you can learn about it here
First Night Akron looking for visual artists so call Lisa Knapp at 330-762-8555 or email: lknapp@downtownakron.com if interested. Click
Haunted Cleveland kicking up their famed Cle “Torso Murders” tour once more. Click
Are you rockin’ out to Cle Sessions downtown on Wednesdays? Cool way to soak up the local flavors here
Start soaking up the local flavors at your local farmer’s markets, including this one
Cleveland Pride’s new web series The Umbrella looks to explore the ‘queer experience’ across all walks of life in the Cleveland community. Into becoming a contributor the Umbrella Series? Click here.
Don’t be too ready to price your life particularly to sell it on eBay. It might be worth less than you think to someone else. Disappointment!
Year of the Rat Photo Scavenger Hunt Got your attention? Then click here
Children’s Museum of Cle sets attendance record for the second consecutive month! Pretty cool. Click

She’s Got Game! Barb Siss Oney and our own T.L. Champion get props from Crain’s in this cool story about their amazing WebTV race, based in C-Town. Read

The Seven Millionth Visitor Visits Rock Hall this week and for one lucky soul, that will mean a treasure trove of goodies from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. A big celebration is planned, with a balloon drop, giant pyramid-shaped cake and a package that includes a Lifetime Membership to the Rock Hall; two (2) tickets anywhere Continental Airlines flies in the US; a custom Les Paul guitar from Gibson; a SIRIUS Satellite Radio subscription and Sportster 5 Satellite Radio; a “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith” video game bundle, two (2) tickets to Mamma Mia at Playhouse Square; lunch at the Rock Hall from Executive Caterers; dinner at the Hard Rock Café in Tower City and more! You could be that lucky guy/gal. Better hit the Rock Hall this week. http://www.rockhall.com.

BikeLakewood cyclists are gonna tow a Humvee You read that correctly. Their last official practice to pull a Humvee for Walk+Roll Lakewood (Sat 7/19, see our listings this week) took place on Monday at Whiskey Island. They expect it will take anywhere between a dozen or two riders hitching up to the gas-guzzling, 5,200 lb beast. And get this, these riders plan to tow the Humvee during the event between 4 – 9PM. Who needs The Incredible Hulk when you can see bigger hearts and brawn on the street, making a much larger (and greener) point. That’s a real marvel. http://www.walkroll.com. http://www.mainstreetlakewood.org.

Attention Cle Sweet Tooths! You know we don’t tell you to watch TV much, but when we do, it’s usually for a good reason. This time around, we’re applauding a sweet duo — Marianne Carroll and Lauren Bozich, owners of The White Flower Cake Shoppe in Beachwood. They’ll be on the Food Network’s “Cirque De Soleil Cake Challenge” on Sun 7/20 at 8PM. Cleveland Magazine’s Best Cake Decorators of 2007 can’t reveal who won the $10,000 prize, but they had a blast during the March taping in Denver. “One thing we can tell you is that it involved a circus, clowns, and a powdered sugar fight,” they laugh. Learn about the show here and their company at the website http://www.whiteflowercake.com. (And yes, you’re allowed to use DVR/VCR if you’re too busy).

Cool Cleveland Podcast Weekly roundup of cool events, in an easy-to-digest 3 minute audio format, for playback on your computer or iPod.

Click here to subscribe to the Cool Cleveland Podcast in iTunes.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Downtown Cleveland Adult Guardianship Services’ annual fundraising Mystery in the City Scavenger Hunt will take place on Sat 7/19 but your deadline to register is today, Wed 7/16. The mystery begins at 8:30AM at the Crowne Plaza Hotel with coffee and breakfast, and the hunt begins at 9:15AM. Box lunches will be provided to all participants and raffles for various prizes will be announced. Follow along and register at http://www.agscleveland.org or call 696-1132 ext. 143.

30th Annual Workman’s Circle Yiddish Concert will be held at Cain Park in Cleveland Heights on Wed 7/16 at 7:30PM This concert is in memory of Eugenia and Henry Green and will feature Toronto’s Beyond the Pale — which is an exciting ensemble in the Canadian folk, roots, and world music scenes — and special guest Vira Lozinsky, a leading voice among a new generation of singers cultivating Yiddish culture in Israel. No cost, open to the public (with a two ticket limit to each adult with a valid ID). http://www.cainpark.com.

Tents of Hope and Darfur Action Day The Maltz Museum will spotlight Darfur awareness and action with a display of tents created specifically for Darfur Action Day on Sun 7/20 starting at noon. Activities include a screening of the film Darfur Now, an Interreligious Panel Discussion and community vigil. All day, visitors can view and decorate tents, the brand new 20-minute docu-short Patches: A Patchwork Project and meet the director Francesca Roveda, hear stories told in the African tradition, speak with Tents of Hope representatives. The tent display remains through the end of the month; details at http://maltzjewishmuseum.org/?myPageID=tents.

Jana Kohl The animal advocate will be discussing & signing A Rare Breed of Love: The True Story of Baby and the Mission She Inspired to Help Dogs Everywhere on Wed 7/16 at 7PM at Joseph-Beth Booksellers. The book chronicles the travels of Baby, a three-legged poodle rescued from a puppy mill, who, along with her human (Kohl) aim to raise awareness and help stop animal cruelty. The canine star appear with the author. Legacy Village, 24519 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst. http://ararebreedoflove.com. http://www.josephbeth.com.

Reds, Whites, & Brews: A Toast to Literacy Cleveland Reads is hosting the 7th Annual fundraiser Thu 7/17 from 7 – 10:30PM at the Shoreby Club in Bratenahl. Admission includes a wine and beer tasting, silent auction, spirits table raffle and hors d’oeuvres. Music will be provided by the group A Glass of Wine. Reds, Whites, & Brews supports literacy efforts in Greater Cle and allows Cleveland Reads to be the primary literacy resource for learners, volunteers, and providers. Call 436-2043 or visit http://www.clevelandreads.org.

Inlet Dance on Mall B, Cain Park Members of Inlet Dance Theatre collaborate with Art Acts and perform giant puppets for Parkworks (at no cost) on Mall B downtown this Thu 7/17 from 7 – 9PM. They also perform Wed 7/23 and Thu 7/24 at 7PM at Cain Park’s Evans Amphitheater in Cleveland Heights. Read more about the company in this week’s issue. http://www.inletdance.org. http://www.cainpark.com.

Betty’s Summer Vacation The Bang and the Clatter’s Ohio Premier, directed by Ryan McMullen, continues Thu 7/18 at 8PM and runs through early August. Expect a bit of black observational humor and existential angst wrapped up in a parable. The New York Times says the work is an “ecstatically angry new comedy by Christopher Durang that suggests that Western civilization is ending not with a bang but with a laugh track.” Sandefur Theatre, Guzzetta Hall, 157 University Ave., Akron. Details and schedule at http://www.bnctheatre.com.

Idiomsyncretic New and recent drawings by artist Pat Boas are at The University of Akron’s Emily Davis Gallery from now through early October. Check out Boas’ work Thu 7/17 (or at your earliest, of course). In Idiomsyncretic, Boas “explores the nature of signs and the activity of reading through disparate sources that range from the tradition of natural history illustration to page layouts in the New York Times. Boas will also talk about her work in early September. 150 E. Exchange St., Akron. Details on the exhibit and fall gallery talk at http://www.uakron.edu/art.

Jim Tressel is not just the head coach of the Ohio State Buckeyes football team, he’s a local guy (originally from Mentor) and success story. Since taking over the reins in 2001, Tressel has guided the Buckeyes to seven bowl appearances, including five BCS games; five 10-win seasons; four Big Ten titles; and one national championship. Tressel will sign copies of his book, The Winners Manual: For the Game of Life, on Thu 7/17 at 7PM. Borders, 30121 Detroit Rd., Westlake. Call 440-892-7667 for details.

A Love Affair… with Texture The Art of Kathy Skerritt previews at Atmosphere Gallery Thu 7/17 from 5 – 9PM with a grand opening celebration the following night, Fri 7/18 from 6 – 10PM. Continuing the celebration of its new location at 2418 Professor Ave. (Tremont), the gallery introduces the Cle-born (and nationally-known) abstract painter. Her “exquisitely built painted surfaces and phenomenal color-play” are said to stun and surprise. We can’t wait to check it out. http://www.atmosphereart.com.

HOT Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead With a title like this, it had to be Fourth Wall Productions, right? Check out the rising stars in this theatre troupe starting Fri 7/18 at 7:30PM. Think Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang turned on their ear. When the loveable loser’s dog dies (from rabies!) he begins to question the existence of an afterlife. Outrageous and outlandish, the show pushes teen angst to the very limits. Drug use, suicide, eating disorders, teen violence, rebellion and sexual identity collide and careen toward an ending that’s both haunting and hopeful. Some might say “blasphemy.” We’re guessing that’s the idea. Call 330-283-2442, or visit http://www.fourthwallproductions.com.

HOT Please God Save Us Cle native and celebrated artist Derek Hess teams up with Euclid-based politician Kent Smith for a new politically-charged book Please God Save Us. The book launches with a release party and book signing at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Fri 7/18 from 6 – 10PM. Meet the authors, share your feelings with them, purchase the book and snag an autograph while you’re there. http://www.strhesspress.com.

CMA Gallery Tour with Timothy Rub The Cleveland Museum of Art is presenting a series of gallery conversations with director Timothy Rub on the next few Fridays, including this Fri 7/18 at 6:30PM. He’ll discuss the dramatic renovations to the museum’s original 1916 building, offer the museum’s future construction plans, and his own personal insights about the collection. Opportunity repeats Fri 7/25 and Fri 8/1. http://www.clevelandart.org.

HOT The Park Bench Tour Think that skirmish on that park bench over there is more than what it seems? On Fri 7/18 and Sat 7/19 at 7PM — and on those following weekend days thru Sat 8/2 — you just might be right. Visit the TitleWAVE website at http://www.titlewavetheatre.com and experience outdoor theatre in a way you might never have otherwise. Read Linda Eisenstein’s piece on the subject in this week’s issue of CC.

Sparx in the City on Star Plaza This installment of the cool summer programming downtown features live performances by roots-rock outfit Lost State of Franklin and members of the SAFMOD stilt group. Get the downtown Cle vibe Fri 7/18 from 11:30AM – 1:30PM. Click.

Party in the Park Pack up and hit the road for the weekend starting Fri 7/18 and take in a huge music and fun festival in Painesville. Live music on three stages, food vendors, bevvies and more all line the historical district that serves as a venue for the shows. Get a glimpse of what the legendary concerts would have been like “back in the day.” And kids, if you’re feeling inspired by the musicians kicking it all day, try your hands at the Guitar Hero competition! Call 392-5795 or visit http://www.myspace.com/ppitp.

SPONSORED: This Saturday, 07/19, at 10PM, WCLV-FM 104.9 presents the Summer edition of the Mighty Wurlitzer Radio Hour. This hour-long variety show, recorded before an audience, originates from the Museum of Radio History in Hinckley. It features musician Larry Kass at the keyboard of a 1920s Wurlitzer Pipe Organ and a coterie of vocalists and instrumentalists doing music from the Great American Song Book. Because of the MWRH broadcast, WCLV’s Weekend Radio will be heard at 11PM. Details on all of WCLV’s programming at http://www.WCLV.com.

HOT “It’s amaZIN!” WVIZ/PBS and Heinen’s are partnering to present a summertime wine tasting at the Idea Center (1375 Euclid Ave) — the downtown Cleveland home of WVIZ/PBS and WCPN 90.3-FM ideastream®. This Sat 7/19 at 7PM, California’s Zinfandel Advocates and Producers Association (ZAP) and feature 35 of California’s best Zin proprietors and winemakers who have traveled to Cle to pour ’em. Nearly 100 different Zins will be available to taste; the chance to talk with visiting winemakers and winery owners, sample cheeses, hors d’oeuvres and desserts provided by Heinen’s round out the experience. Tickets at http://www.wviz.org, or by calling 916-0110.

Paul Taylor Dance Company performs at Cain Park’s Evans Amphitheater in Cleveland Heights Sat 7/19 at 8PM. Prepare to be moved! Our pals Victor Lucas and Elsa Johnson break it all down for you in this week’s issue of CC. http://www.cainpark.com. http://www.ptdc.org.

HOT Walk+Roll™ Lakewood will celebrate Lakewood’s greatest assets – the lakefront, historic housing stock and vibrant commercial district – on foot, bike, skateboard, wheelchair or stroller. This evening event on closed stretches of Detroit and Belle Ave., and is expected to attract thousands from across the region Sat 7/19. Programming includes activities that encourage movement and exploration. Click here to see Bogotá Columbia’s version of this very progressive concept. http://www.walkroll.com. http://www.mainstreetlakewood.org.

Cycle Canalway Bring your bike, your family and your friends for a festival in the Canalway Sat 7/19 with proceedings starting at 7:30AM. Choose from a 23-mile leisurely bicycle ride complete with a trip on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, or a 10-mile family friendly ride complete with a fun filled stop at Thornburg Station — including ice cream samples provided by Carvel. Canalway Center (at E. 49th St. just off I-77) will host a post-ride festival w/ BBQ lunch, giveaways and live entertainment. Riders get a cool “goodie bag” with a t-shirt, coupons, snacks and more. Call 520-1825 or visit http://www.ohiocanal.org/cyclecanalway.htm.

Roy Book Binder The finger-pickin’ blues maestro hits the Winchester in Lakewood Sat 7/19 at 8PM for a night you’ll not soon forget. RBB is a true raconteur with a 30-year history and has been the interview subject by Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air and performer on Ralph Emory’s Nashville Now TV series. 12112 Madison Ave., Lakewood. http://www.thewinchester.net. http://www.roybookbinder.com.

HOT Akron Nat’l Hamburger Festival It just made the magazine Real Simple Top 10 list for one of “America’s Best Food Festivals!” Never been?!? [FOR SHAME says the Managing Editor!] You don’t know what you’re missing. Sample delectable stackables from NEO classics like The Barley House and Pretender Chrissie Hynde’s new VegiTerranean, to (you guessed it) Big Boy. Great food, fun environment (Lock 3 is a blast in the summer) and family friendly. Read the Real Simple story then check out their site. http://www.hamburgerfestival.com.

Cruisin’ For Critters On Sat 7/19 the Lake Humane Society will host a fun-filled, dinner dance cruise and benefit aboard the Goodtime III. Guests will enjoy local media personality Eileen McShea (of WKYC’s Good Company) and paranormal investigator Mary Ann Winkowski — consultant and inspiration for the CBS-TV series Ghost Whisperer. Winkoski will talk about her experience and field questions about the afterlife of our furry friends. Cash bar. Proceeds benefit the Lake Humane Society. Call 440-951-6122.

Celebrate Opera Day Joseph-Beth Booksellers announces a special day to celebrate all things opera Sat 7/19 from 9 – 11AM. Special discounts on all opera merchandise (CDs, DVDs, librettos, books) all day. Register to win a pair of tickets to OperaCleveland’s upcoming performance of The Marriage of Figaro. Mention your OperaCleveland membership or, your wish to support the efforts of OperaCleveland, and receive an extra discount at the register. A portion of the day’s proceeds will benefit the organization. 24519 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst. http://www.josephbeth.com.

SPONSORED: Make this Saturday “amaZIN” Tickets are still available for WVIZ/PBS and Heinen’s extraordinary Zinfandel event – “It’s amaZIN” – Sat 7/19 at 7PM. Savor over 100 Zinfandel wines. Sample cheeses, hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Held at Idea Center, 1375 Euclid Avenue. Tickets: $50 advance, $60 at door (if available). Info: www.wviz.org or 216-916-0110.

Mike’s Barn One of the hottest live music tickets on Sundays is at Mike’s Barn. For nearly 15 years, Michael Yates has hosted a now-famous Sunday Jam Session throughout the summer months; many of Cle’s talented working musicians and music fans “join forces for some incredible evenings of spontaneous live music.” This weekend, it’s a CD release party with a load of guests. And if you’ve never been, the hootnanny’s waiting for you. It’s like stepping into Memphis or Nashville for a night. Go see Yates and his friends Sun 7/20. Details at http://www.mikesbarn.com.

Blue-Eyed Soul 1965-1968 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum’s “Night School” installment this month explores Blue-Eyed Soul popularized in the mid- to late 60s during the Civil Rights Movement. Learn about white singers whose style was heavily influenced by soul and rhythm and blues that grew from African-American culture Wed 7/23 at 7PM. The evening will feature in-depth discussion of Inductees such as the Righteous Brothers (“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling”) and the Rascals (“Good Lovin’”), as well as other performers including the Box Tops, Tom Jones, and Mitch Ryder. http://www.rockhall.com.

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

George Nemeth and Jack Ricchiuto
Instructions from the Cook

Jack Ricchiuto & George Nemeth, local community-builders, have teamed up to author a new book entitled Instructions from the Cook, a collection of creative recipes and and ideas for engaging and empowering a community to change. Based on zen principles, their book speaks of how small acts can bring big change. Listen to this video interview at their book signing in Tremont with Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready and learn how to initiate conversations, both on the internet and face-to-face, that maximize our individual gifts and talents to build our community.

When is the last time you actually made soup for a senior, exchanged stories with a homeless person or used one of your unique gifts to reach out of your comfort zone and help someone with lesser resources? Dive into this little gem and become authentically engaged.

http://www.intentionalmodel.com/

SPONSORED: What Are You Waiting For? In a world of global competition, an advanced business degree is no longer an advantage, it’s a requirement. Look closer at the Accelerated MBA at Cleveland State University. Our outstanding curriculum, convenient schedule and flexible format allow you to earn an MBA in 11 months — without interrupting your life! You’ll take away state-of-the-art knowledge from more than just textbooks. You’ll engage in projects to apply that knowledge and begin to hone your management skills from the moment the program begins. Our business programs are accredited by AACSB International — the most prestigious and respected accreditation worldwide. Classes start in August. Financial Aid and graduate assistantships are available. Visit www.csuohio.edu/business/mba or talk with our program advisor, Patricia Hite at 216.687.6925 or p.hite@csuohio.edu.

A hot selection of tech and business news & events from around the region. Got business news? Send it to: EVENTS@CoolCleveland.com

Baker Hostetler named top corp lawfirm Read more about it here and here
Third Frontier upcoming Ohio Tech RFPs offer some promise for the right folks. Read
CSU partners with the Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy (NEOUCOM) for an accelerated medical program. Click
N. American Travel Journalists Assoc. has chosen Cle for their 09 conference. Read
Here are three ways to make your workplace a little bit greener
And here are a ton of other green ideas for you(r biz) to soak up! Click
Finally, consider the goodness greenness of recycling your personal computer, according to GreenTV.Watch
Former Browns Art Modell as the business voice of reason, experience? We scratched our heads too, but then we read the New York Times article here
Local immigration atty points to Mansfield Frazier’s CC column in his own site’s news section. A nice nod. Click
Partnership between American Greetings, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer makes the headlines here
How do you feel about a new, 4-day work week? A lot of employers actually share the sentiment. Click
First-time homebuyers are helping real estate market to rebound in hearty fashion. Click

Local Logistics Company Banyan Technologies is featured in a great article here. The company, helmed by Lance Healy and Jim Walborn, has seized on the “perfect storm” in shipping. With costs rising as a result of fuel and other x-factors, their group’s SaaS (or “software as a service”) is saving “manufacturers nearly 20 percent when they ship less-than-truckload materials.” And that’s nothing to sneeze at in a struggling economy.

Quite a few Cleveland hotels are participating in the Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) organization, including the Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre, Radisson Gateway, Wyndham and InterContinental Hotel/ Conference Ctr. They’re reducing energy use, recycling and incorporating other sustainable and energy-efficient routines into daily ops. http://e4s.org/content/index.asp.

SPONSORED: FITTech Alert Software Solutions Done Right! FIT Technologies has one of the most experienced software development staffs in Northeast Ohio. We can help develop mission-critical business applications in a cost-effective manner. As a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, we have demonstrated our “street cred” in software development on a national level. Learn more at http://www.fittechnologies.net/appdev.htm.

Chris Brill
Accountant, Pease & Associates
Cleveland Plus

Chris Brill , having recently moved here from his hometown of Dayton, talks with Thomas Mulready of Cool Cleveland about his fun new social life in downtown Cleveland. Living in the trendy Warehouse District, Chris can walk not only to several sports venues, but to the House of Blues, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and to “a different restaurant every night.”

An enthusiastic golfer and sports fan‘, Chris can’t get enough of all ClevelandPlus has to offer. With season tickets to the Cavs and Indians games, and a multitude of golf courses to discover, he’s one busy dude!

http://www.ClevelandPlusLiving.com

Biz Ethics is subject of Breakfast for the Brain ERC event on Fri 7/18. Details here
Hire top talent with Behavioral Interviewing seminar on Wed 7/23 at 9AM. Details
Key Priorities in Workplace Writing is the focus of this ERC seminar Wed 8/6. Clarity of Communication
Biz Emergency Planning Assoc. 10th Ann conference hits on Thu 8/14 and Fri 8/15. Register
Does your sales force need Boot Camp? Then send them to this seminar Fri 8/15 starting at 9AM. Ten-hut!
Manf’g woes? Can’t find qualified workers? Hear from a panel of employers who have identified unique strategies to address workforce challenges. Wed 9/17 at 7:30AM, Corp. Coll East. Register
3rd Ann NEO Energy Conf Learn energy cost-cutting/savings strategies, help save on bottom line and learn ESPs and MROs on Tue 9/30. Details

HOT Meet The Champions Breakfast! The Civic Innovation Lab celebrates their latest grantees Thu 7/17 from 8 – 9:30AM at Trinity Commons. The New Lab Champions are Jodi Marchewitz of iGuiders and Shannon Davis of beyonemotherhood.com. Learn more about both and the event by visiting http://www.civiclab.org.

SPONSORED: Is It Virtually the Best Way to Teach? The video collection from the Collaboration Technology Conference that took place 5/8/08 at Case Western Reserve University is now available on YouTube. Check out the video of the speech on “Virtual Worlds and the New Frontiers of Learning.” Stacy Williams, Assistant Professor of Communications Science and Disorders at Case shares her collaboration technology experience, showing how virtual world technologies provide simulations for students to practice diagnostic procedures in professional real world applications including virtual field trips and research studies. For more info: youtube.com/watch?v=0-nq1q3FeKk.

Obama’s New Yorker Cover

While, at first blush, the New Yorker cover depicting the Obamas as radicals seems offensive, in reality it’s not. In fact, it’s a brilliant use of satire, and here’s why: No longer can right-wingers use whisper and innuendo to try to paint an unflattering portrait of the presumptive Democratic nominee… by taking the joke way, way past Broadway, Obama’s detractors have no place to go — the New Yorker has already put it out there. Game, set, match.

League Park: What it Could Become

Today, if you see a player with Black skin on a professional baseball diamond it’s almost a sure bet that he’s from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, or some other Latin American country. For better or worse, Black kids in the U.S. don’t play baseball much anymore. The sport is viewed as too slow, too boring, and always has been too expensive for inner-city kids to afford — with all of the requisite equipment and uniforms.

Basketball, on the other hand takes, well, a basketball and hoop (which can be — and often is in the inner-city — nailed to the nearest lamppost). Besides, baseball doesn’t allow as much opportunity for individual hot-dogging as basketball. With the 30+years of ascendancy of basketball — and to a degree football — among inner-city youth, there is no indication that baseball is ever going to make a comeback among Black kids. To them, baseball is becoming almost as foreign as ice hockey.

None of the foregoing is much of a revelation, or even worthy of discussing, if not for the fact that over the years moves have been afoot to bring baseball (in some form, either as a museum, or playing fields) back to League Park, which is in the heart of a 99.99 percent Black community. I know because it’s my community, I live two blocks from historic League Park.

With a crying need for recreational activities for the young people of Hough, why on earth would anyone think of using this valuable plot of land for something that would almost instantly turn into a white elephant — one that virtually no children in the community would care to use? This smacks of someone from outside a Black community — once again — determining our needs… and making a culturally wrong determination…
Read more from Mansfield B. Frazier here

This week’s most active post on BrewedFreshDaily.com

The Northeast Ohio Citizens League is forming. We have more people trained in AI concepts than anywhere in the country. It’s a great time for the foundations to rethink their approach to citizen engagement.

Read and add your comment on BFD.

Links to interesting NEO blogs

Lakewood was named by This Old House Magazine as one of the best places in the Midwest to buy an old house.
The technology exhibit “Atlas in Silico” at this year’s Ingenuity Festival could help us understand “metagenomics”.
Make yr own scary foreclosure map with the County’s new website.
Y-town’s Rusty Waters Apparel featured in NYT.

The View from Terry Pluto
Debriefing with the Sportwriter Extraordinaire on All-Star Break

Opinions are a dime a dozen. Everybody has bunches of them, and all too many who shouldn’t, share them indiscriminately with the rest of the world. Informed opinions are more highly regarded. In that instance, mix in acute perception, along with formidable writing skills, and you have a writer worth reading.

Terry Pluto has an opinion about any number of things. You may agree, or disagree, but he’s almost always right on the money, and worth reading. So when he said on June 27 that the Indians season was tanked, readers shook their heads, sadly agreeing that it must be so. Terry really wanted to be wrong, but unfortunately, it didn’t much look like he was. The Indians won that day, with C.C. pitching. Then, the very next day, the Indians engaged in a ten-game losing streak as if to prove him right. Mid-stream, they traded their ace pitcher, C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee. At least he’s in the other league! And now they’re starting to think about next year. Already. Too bad… It’s gonna be a long summer!

“Mediocrity is expensive.” So says the sports writer extraordinaire, and he ought to know. He’s seen enough of it. He writes at least four times a week for The Plain Dealer, after 20-some years of working for the Akron Beacon Journal. In addition to sports, he also writes about faith in an every-other-week column for his current daily, plus he’s authored two books so far. Interesting combination, but very real to him…
Read more from Kelly Ferjutz here

Paul Taylor Dance’s Power of Simplicity

The Paul Taylor Dance Company has no prima ballerina, espouses no hierarchy, but dancer Lisa Viola has long been first among equals. On the company’s website she’s listed first, definitely out of alphabetical order. In the award-winning documentary about the company, Dancemaker, the camera singles out Viola repeatedly. Her powerful dancing and intense stage presence have made her a Taylor mainstay for nearly 16 years. The announcement of her retirement and her farewell concert last March led many in the press and the dance community to look back on her stellar career.

When we learned that she was coming to Cleveland to teach master classes in conjunction with the company’s Cleveland performance, it seemed like the opportune moment to arranged a phone interview and get her insights into the workings of the Taylor Company and the making of Taylor dancers…
Read more from Vic and Elsa here

Dancing on a Knife Edge with Inlet

Bill Wade has been a presence on Cleveland’s dance scene for decades, first as a dancer for Footpath Dance Company, then as that company’s artistic director, then as the founder and director of the YARD, a company made up of student dancers from Cleveland School of the Arts. For the last decade or so, Wade’s been running his latest creation, Inlet Dance Theater, which is built around a nucleus of young professional modern dancers. Inlet’s performance aesthetic is part of their charm, capitalizing on dancers with a certain glamour and more than enough technical capacity for the task at hand. The company’s mastery of Pilobolus-style partnering adds to the mix, building improbable structures out of the dancers themselves. But it’s seldom dance for the sake of dance; Artistic Director / Choreographer Wade and his artistic associates usually manage to make it all mean something…
Read more from Vic and Elsa here

Theatrical Tidal Waves from TitleWAVE

That Park Bench Skirmish Near You Might be a Touring Production. You’re walking through a city park, and suddenly you see two strange women get into each other’s face on a nearby bench. Do you slink away? Call the cops on your cell phone from behind a tree? This month, you oughta pull up a lawn chair or a blanket and watch the fireworks. Because the Park Bench Tour is back, thanks to the dedication of playwright Greg Vovos and director Mindy Herman of TitleWAVE Theatre.

The pair were involved in the first two outdoor tours sponsored by Charenton Theatre — Vovos directed The Zoo Story in 2000 and I’m Not Rappaport in 2001 while Herman stage managed the shows. “We’ve both really missed doing edgy free theatre in the park,” says Vovos over coffee at the Gypsy Bean Cafe where I talked with the dynamic duo last week. “Zoo Story taught me something about Cleveland audiences. You gotta love ’em: they can take in challenging material and laugh their way through it.”
Read more from Linda Eisenstein here

Please God Save Us
Derek Hess / Kent Smith
Strhess Press

Local indie/hardcore artist Derek Hess and politician/self-proclaimed “policy nerd” Kent Smith might actually be greater together than the sum of their individual parts. The duo has long charted ground individually in town with fiery effect. Together, they’ve joined forces for an incendiary graphic essay folio full of scathing indictments that scald like napalm. There are visceral observations, black humor, deathly diatribes and politicalamities in Please God Save Us, which pairs Hess’ exceptional brilliance as an artist with Smith’s progressive-toned tomes on the environment, evolution, foreign policy and more. Everything from Fox News Channel and the Republican Party, to stem cell research, rock music and SpongeBob SquarePants is covered. The results are a miasma of shuddering brain shocks that readers may (or not) agree with. But the intention of eliciting a response is most certainly achieved. The images and essays are each haunting enough on their own; to these already blackened eyes, there’s nothing quite like another punch landing squarely on each of them. Descriptions and depictions just don’t do Save Us justice. Suffice it to say it pushes all the right buttons — for better and worse — and will leave its readers wrung out, riled up and incontrovertibly rattled. “Mission,” as they say, “accomplished.”

Hess and Smith launch this new work with a release party and book signing at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Friday, July 18 from 6 – 10PM. You can meet the authors, share your feelings with them, purchase the book and snag an autograph or two while you’re there. Visit Strhess Press at http://www.strhesspress.com. Visit Kent Smith online at http://www.kentsmith.org. Visit Derek Hess online at http://www.derekhess.com. And visit the Cleveland Museum of Natural History at http://www.cmnh.org.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Failure Is Not An Option
Mercury Project

Ambient-tech duo Mercury Project hit the launching pad at the beginning of the year, constructed from bands Nation of Teflon Souls, UV and the lauded goth act, Lestat. Its members Timothy Smith and Peter “DJ Hojo” came to the table with a decided kinship in science fact, mood music and synth exploration. With its debut disc Failure Is Not an Option, Mercury Project propels through space like Spock in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. The 14-cut affair is an ambient/chillout, industrial, EBM and synth-pop soundtrack celebrating the Milky Way; it blends soundbytes from actual NASA missions in a cool, oddly compelling way. Think Brian Eno meets Arthur C. Clarke in a grand, 50-year retrospective of U.S. space exploration. Trippy (but never dippy) Failure soars and sweeps with interstellar grandeur and feels like something you really want to see… if that makes sense. Theater of the mind-inducing, this work reaches for the heavens and longs for a multimedia presentation. For people who love the latter (as this writer does) make sure you check what Mercury Project does with Failure at the Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology Friday, July 25 at 10PM. You’re gonna love the results.

Visit Mercury Project online at http://www.myspace.com/mercuryproject and check out a pair of audio samples there. Visit Ingenuity at http://www.ingenuitycleveland.com.

From Cool Cleveland Managing Editor Peter Chakerian peterATcoolcleveland.com

Wanna get reviewed? Send your band’s CD (less than 1 year old) to: Cool Cleveland, 14837 Detroit Avenue, #105, Lakewood, OH 44107

Quick reviews of recent events
Submit your own review or commentary to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Girls Night Out @ Cleveland Play House 7/9 The place was maxed out with designer perfume, a rainbow of pastel colored crop pants and estrogen. The cause? Promised laughter that only those bearing the double XX chromosome could appreciate. The culprit? The Cleveland Play House’s adaptation of “Girls Night Out,” the musical that promises singing in the aisles. And sing they did.

The evening was a collaboration of intimate parties combined with a big party on stage, illustrating the special bond of long time friends who tell it like it is. The highlight of the evening was when the song “I Will Survive” was played and total strangers began dancing and singing in the aisles. It was a thing to behold: “Did you think I’d crumble?” they shouted, “Did you think I’d lay down and die?”

I won’t tell you the entire story and ruin it for you, but let’s just say that the plot revolves around Sharon, a 17-year-old angel (that ain’t no angel – if you know what I mean), and four of her best friends, who remain here on earth after her tragic death. It’s 20 years later and Sharon’s daughter is getting married and the four friends get together for a night on the town complete with martinis, singing (of course) and some illicit behavior. All I can say is that I witnessed women from Rocky River to Mayfield Heights letting their hair down, sipping cocktails and whispering secret stories laced with voluminous laughter. And, according to the CPH program, this is the last week for GNO. You go, Girls!
From Cool Cleveland contributor T.L. Champion tlATcoolcleveland.com

Bill Dobbins & Cleveland Jazz Orchestra @ Bop Stop 7/11 Composer, pianist, arranger, all-around great musician, Bill Dobbins, came back to Cleveland for two special performances with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra last weekend at the Bop Stop. It was indeed special.

He sort of had a finger in all the pieces performed: those he didn’t write, he arranged, but they certainly didn’t sound alike. Each of them had their own unique sound.

Burungkaka was the rousing opener, in a salute to trombones, featuring an extended solo by Garney Hicks, as well as one by Mr. Dobbins. CJO Artistic Director Jack Schantz played in some selections during the evening, but generally served as conductor. As you might expect, the trombones were in excellent form in their close harmony (which might be the biggest trademark of Dobbins’ arrangements) but could bite when they needed to.

Loose Your Life dates from his earlier years at Eastman, and has a touch of gospel in it, along with being written in 7/4 time. Brad Wagner was the outstanding tenor sax soloist, singing over the organ-like sounds from the brass.

More fabulous close harmony was evident in the Dobbins arrangement of Darn That Dream. Pete Dominguez was the bass soloist while George Shernit accompanied on bass clarinet. The jazz waltz also featured the arranger producing snowfall-like notes from the piano at the beginning and the end. Gorgeous.

They closed out the evening with another arrangement of a classic: Lerner and Lane’s On a Clear Day that featured Bob Fraser on guitar over the deep sounds of bass trombonist Paul Hungerford.

Leading up to that point, were many other selections, however. Tadd Dameron’s Smooth as the Wind and Swift as the Wind were combined by Dobbins into one piece that featured bass clarinet (Shernit), flute (Kent Englehardt), clarinet (Tom Reed) and an extended trio for piano, bass and drums.

The other non-Dobbins composed pieces were both by percussionist Peter Erskine, as charted by Dobbins. For Jaco is a tribute to the great bassist Jaco Pastorius, with sterling solos for several instruments: Shernit, this time on baritone sax; Fraser, guitar; Schantz, flugelhorn, and Hungerford, bass tromone. The elegaic beginning might mis-lead one to think it might be other than what it really was.

Erskine’s Bulgaria reminded me greatly of Duke Ellington’s Caravan, with its pulsating rhythms and windy sort of sounds. Along with Dobbins on piano, Scott Garlock soloed on trombone, Mark Gonder on drums, and Englehardt on soprano sax. He was later joined by his four section mates (Rich Shanklin, Reed, Wagner and Shernit) all five playing soprano sax. Interesting sound, not one you might expect to hear in a jazz concert. But then, you might not expect flutes, either. The trombones did a lot of sliding, as did the guitar in a perpetual motion section.

My Darling Darlene was a piano solo by Dobbins, written in tribute to his wife of 42 years – Darlene. It was a lovely musical description of a marriage. Miles Tones, on the other hand was a salute to the Miles Davis of the 50s and 60s — especially his Green Dolphin Street. Vile Trickery was a somewhat cheeky trio for piano, bass and drums, and featured especially tricky rhythms, for which the piece was named.

Another jazz waltz, Prism is almost a concerto for saxophone and big band. Englehardt was the more than capable soloist. Elegie was very reflective in nature, and the waltz tempo was more evident. This one featured all five sax players again in a different configuration: two altos, two tenors and baritone. Fabulous sound!

The enthusiastic audience wanted still more, and so we were given an encore – Round Midnight, a remembrance of the be-bop era, again featuring Shanklin and Hungerford. All told, it was a totally joyful evening.

Next up for the CJO are concerts on August 1 & 29 on the roof of the Cleveland Museum of Art parking garage. The music of Duke Ellington will be featured on August 1, while the 29th will be a Swing Era Dance, with Dancers! And dance teachers! For more information, call 440-942-9525 or visit the website http://www.clevelandjazz.org.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com

Transitory + Persistent: Photographs of the Inhabited Landscape @ UH-Humphrey Atrium Gallery 7/11 This photography exhibit in the Humphrey Atrium Gallery at University Hospital provides a broad and deep view of the convergence of architecture, landscapes and people. Photographer Garie Waltzer documents her people watching as beautifully crafted, carbon pigment prints.

She explains that the way this is accomplished is by replacing standard ink jet inks with different shades of grays. The resulting roughly twenty, highly detailed, large-scale prints are captivating.

In the pieces that focus on Turkey, the view of Istanbul is from above. You see old mid-rise buildings, their roofs crumbling and detailed architectural accents rounded from years of use, abuse and pollution, but on the street level you see human activity as usual; markets spilling into the street, people eating at cafes, cars parked. The only sign of life on the roof level are all the many satellite dishes on the crumbling roofs. The other image of turkey is of the ruins of Cappadocia, here we see the architecture of the ancients abandoned, and rounded down to barely-recognizable mounds, with people examining them.

The Asian images show Japan as a highly polished, extremely complex and organized machine consisting of cars, buildings, roads, commercial signs and of course people. China’s images are just as complex, but not nearly as polished, with the occasional western logo punctuating the visual snarl of messages.

Moving west across the globe we find the images of Ukraine somber, cold and as if the people are an afterthought in the landscape, that the trains and buildings – the institutions – are the focus of life, rather than the people. Paris is viewed from the Eiffel Tower, and it feels like a Google Earth view, the people’s shadows more prominent than the people themselves. Especially interesting is the view from the platform directly under the tower, looking down to the tourists and the base of the tower’s legs. The luminous trees in the park settings of the images of Portugal have you longing to be there, bathed in the light.

Across the Atlantic we find ourselves in the mountains of Peru, watching bathers or swimmers in what look to be ancient hot springs, with Machu Picchu-like mountain tops looming behind. At last we find New York’s Coney Island amusement park and beach, with all the detailed layers of activity of the people eating, riding, swimming, walking, etc.

From now until September, if you find yourself spending time at University Hospital, or even if you make a special trip to see the exhibit, leave yourself enough time to examine the prints in every detail. You can find the Humphrey Atrium by entering the hospital through the Lerner entrance at 11100 Euclid Ave.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Carol Drummond carolATdrummonddesign.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Blossom 7/12 Despite a frog-strangling cloud-burst only two hours before the concert, it was a perfect evening for music under the stars. Assistant Conductor Jayce Ogren opened The Cleveland Orchestra concert with a refreshing version of Rossini’s “Overture to ‘Semiramide'” that made me want to hear the whole opera. Guest conductor Giancarlo Guerrero conducted the rest of the lengthy program (antsy folks started leaving at 10PM — poor them, they missed a vibrant rendition of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol) that was highlighted by a dashingly powerful performance by soloist Kirill Gerstein of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 (made notorious in the film, Shine). The Orchestra also wound its way (its way being beautiful, competent, and mesmerizing at times) through the intricacies of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 2 in D major, Opus 36.” Conductor Guerrero eschewed a score (except for the Rachmaninoff) and, consequently, often seemed more an instrument of the orchestra than just a time-keeper. The next summer fix of classical music is set for July 19 at 8PM when guest Julia Fischer solos in Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto” with the Orchestra, led by Andris Nelsons. Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 and Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain are also on the program.
From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com

Bravo Broadway @ Blossom 7/13 They tried, they really did, but mostly, it didn’t work when The Cleveland Orchestra and chorus plus guest soloists Susan Egan, Capathia Jenkins, Rob Evan and Doug LaBrecque showcased [fairly] contemporary Broadway musicals. When the Orchestra opened with a medley from the rock opera Jesus Christ, Superstar by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, the evening sounded promising, but once the amplified vocals began, it tanked (at least from where I was sitting, midway in the pavilion). Musicals that sound good in small theatres (like many of those on Broadway) don’t always work elsewhere, but the main problem was the sound system, amplified and echoing so much that the Orchestra couldn’t be heard over the too-loud vocals and insistent rock beat. It’s possible that the show also reflects the relative poverty (music wise) of current Broadway hits compared to past glory days. Best of show? Egan’s “Good Morning, Baltimore” from “Hairspray” showed plenty of tuneful spunk as did Jenkins’ powerhouse version of a song from “Dreamgirls” (we were told she almost had the Jennifer Hudson movie role–she’d have been great). LaBrecque invested the familiar POTO “Music of the Night” with passion and romance (a neat trick). The costume changes added color and sass. Another good point came at concert’s end with a bouncy rendition of “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” (is Hair the granddaddy of rock musicals?) that brought the chorus (in tie-dyed tees) handing flowers out to the audience. I think it would have sounded better if I’d had the sense to bring a blanket, a bottle of wine, and sit on the lawn. Anyone out there want to write in and let me know?
From Cool Cleveland contributor Laura Kennelly lkennellyATgmail.com

Cool Cleveland readers write

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Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com

On Mansfield’s Thinking Outside the Box here I believe that facility at E.55th and the Shoreway was a Howard Johnson hotel, not a Holiday Inn.
from Cool Cleveland reader Tom Turner tlt4400ATsbcglobal.net

Managing Editor’s note: We stand corrected. Once upon a time it was indeed a “HoJo,” although with each passing year, it’s getting harder and harder to tell.

On Roldo (See Lerners & Their Money… here) Roldo’s disdain for anyone with money continues to grow… that chip on his shoulder must be getting heavy after all these years. The Lerner’s, the Jacobs’… probably half of the events and organizations referenced in Cool Cleveland each week exist because of these and other people with some cash. When you go to the Cleveland Orchestra, the Art Museum, the Cleveland Clinic, etc., we should be looking at those plaques that list large contributors and thanking those listed that they didn’t decide to take their cash elsewhere… and the jobs. Roldo also used the term “wealthy developers” in a recent rant. Let’s see, Roldo… I think we should not allow “wealthy developers” to help us redevelop our great city… let’s only allow developers who have no money, that should be more interesting to watch than the Euclid Ave. project. By the way, Roldo, I noticed that Cool Cleveland is giving away an iPhone. That appears to be a promotion for Apple. This means that you may actually be helping create more wealth for a really wealthy guy… you must be so conflicted!
from Cool Cleveland reader John Renner jlrennerAThotmail.com

On Cool Cleveland Tom, I am so impressed by the email I got from Cool Cleveland! I am also impressed by all the cool events Cleveland has to offer. I always knew we had a fabulous place to live and your efforts to get people to realize it and take part in them have given me the reason to have pride.
from Cool Cleveland reader Kate Foley beachfoleyATatt.net

Send your letters to: LettersATCoolCleveland.com

Most clicked
Here are the Top 5 most clicked links from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Cool Cleveland’s Ingenuity Party with open bar, snacks, exclusive performance, and a comp admission.
Party info here and ticket discount here: https://coolcleveland.net/tickets/072508/index.php

2) Dennis Kucinich video interview by Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready. It’s a quick one.
CoolCleveland.com

3) RoldoLINK Lerners & Their Money – ah, OUR Money, by Roldo Bartimole.
CoolCleveland.com

4) Ingenuity Festival of Art & Technology The fourth installment may be the coolest. Plus we have your comp ticket at our party
CoolCleveland.com Ingenuity party discount and Ingenuity Festival info here: IngenuityCleveland.com

5) Straight Outta Mansfield Thinking Outside The Box by Mansfield Frazier.
CoolCleveland.com?

Assembling Your Week Reclaim your city with the hard work of the Hard Corps. Rockin’ it this week: Peter Chakerian, T.L. Champion, George Nemeth, Susan Schaul, Dana Aritonovich, Kelly Ferjutz, Victor Lucas and Elsa Johnson, Claudia J. Taller, Linda Eisenstein, Roy Berko, Mansfield B. Frazier, Carol Drummond, Laura Kennelly and Roldo Bartimole. And lastly, though certainly not least, thanks to our readers and everyone who partners with us. Want to volunteer and contribute your writing to Cool Cleveland? Send your reviews, articles, or story ideas to: Events@CoolCleveland.com.

Download the Cool Cleveland podcasts and videos each week at http://www.CoolCleveland.com
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Knock on wood, Cleveland,
–Thomas Mulready
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