Lets Romp

Let’s Romp

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Holiday Romp networking party this Fri 12/17 save 33% here
* Cool Cleveland Commentary Little House in the City examines urban pioneers by Timothy McCue
* Birol’s Business urges Let Our Children Go (So They Can Return)
* Tuning In with Mike Hovancsek, film soundtrack extraordinaire featured at the Sundance Film Festival
* RoldoLINK on the private Convention Facilities Authority
* Cool Cleveland Sounds review of Music For Spies, Thighs & Private Eyes by Twinsburg band Spy-Fi

Festivities on the fringe
Cool Cleveland Holiday Romp launches this Fri 12/17

Where will you be when the Cool Cleveland crew (and a few hundred of their best friends) kick it into high gear after work this Fri 12/17 from 5-8PM for the rompingest holiday party yet? Grab a few drinks from the open bar and a few snacks from the Cajun spread, and wander among dozens of artists’ booths jammed with festive holiday gift ideas and hand-made art and crafts, while avoiding the dreaded malls. Hop on the trolley and tour the nearby WT Grant and 1900 Euclid Avenue loft apartments and the secret stash in the Special Collections at the Cleveland Public Library. Sway to live music, pick up a free t-shirt for your civic idea, and then pop around the corner to the brand-new House of Blues for a live concert in their majestic 1200-capacity Music Hall. Save 33% by registering and paying before midnight Thu 12/16. Mark your calendar for rippin’ entertainment, accessible art and next-generation networking. Register here: Newsletter/Party

Cool Cleveland Commentary
Little House in the City: Downtown Life
Move over Desperate Housewives! Cleveland has the makings of television’s next great primetime drama, as suburbanites swarm to the city for high-end design, exciting nightlife, and a 15-year tax abatement. This isn’t Walnut Grove, the new construction does not look like Little House on the Prairie, and their inhabitants aren’t The Ingalls family by far. Who are these urban pioneers? Why are they building in the heart of the city? Timothy M. McCue explores the urban pioneer trend that has been perplexing many Clevelanders.

Having just recently moved to the city myself, I wonder who are these urban pioneers? Where are they from? And what do they do for fun? Jeffrey Kipp, of the Living in Cleveland Center, a non-profit dedicated to “promoting the livability of Cleveland’s 36 neighborhoods and striving to increase homeownership within them,” defines an “urban pioneer” as, “anyone the general mindset would typically expect to move away from the city.” The frontier these pioneers are settling are essentially “communities that are effectively built up” within the 36 pre-existing neighborhoods in the city. An unscientific study by yours truly found that Cleveland’s newest urban pioneers range from twenty-somethings from Chicago looking for a fresh start, mid-life Californians starting a second career, thirty-something suburban residents wanting a challenge, and empty-nesters downsizing the nest and seizing the opportunity of tax abatement…
Read the Cool Cleveland Commentary Little House in the Big City by Timothy McCue here

JumpStart gets $500K This area economic development org has got it going on: they’ve received $500K to invest in early stage companies from Ohio’s Third Frontier Validation Fund. JumpStart is investing as much as $1.2 million in five Northeast Ohio companies, with their sights set on funding 12 to 15 companies a year at $250K each. So far, they’ve funded voice messaging firm Ayalogic, Inc., specialty advertiser Day-Day, Ltd., Embrace Pet Insurance, intellectual property software company PreEmptive Solutions, and Stanton Advanced Ceramics. It’s great to witness this economic development organization making a difference so quickly. See CrainTech here

Beachwood recruits Israeli businesses Israel gets a piece of Beachwood, as the Chamber of Commerce is opening its office in the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce in Tel Aviv to build on the Beachwood-Israel economic development, complementing the City of Beachwood’s efforts to actively recruite Israeli companies to the suburb. The city has been involved in the U.S. opening of four companies from Israel, with two more openings planned. See Cleveland Jewish News here

Flannery focuses on funding The Ohio Supreme Court has determined four times that the way we fund education in our state is illegal and unconstitutional. While these rulings have had no visible effect on most members of the Ohio legislature, Bryan Flannery, who used to be a Lakewood councilman and ran against Ken Blackwell for Secretary of State, has been relentlessly pushing a radical new approach: discontinue most of the inequitable property tax for education and force the State to pay. You may have seen his billboards around town, pointing to his web site, which encourages people to join the 70K who have signed his petition (he needs 100K by 12/21) so he can force the legislature to vote on it. They’ll turn it down, of course, and then Flannery will likely float another petition to put the measure directly on the ballot in 11/05. http://www.FlanneryForOhio.com

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Aw, C’mon, Let Your Creative Side Out At the Painters Loft Condominiums, located at 8205 Franklin Blvd. in Detroit Shoreway. These open lofts feature 750 to 2,000 sq ft, exposed brick, 14-foot ceilings, etched concrete floors, oversized windows, spiral staircases in bi-level units, in-suite laundry and secured parking. Trade in your formal dining room with china cabs for something a bit more Jackson Pollock. Add in 12-year tax abatement and even the creative types can afford to live here. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out the exciting doings in the hood – the arts district anchored by Cleveland Public Theater at W. 65th/Detroit, the awesome restaurants and shops (Parkview pints a plus) and oh yeah, we almost forgot, Lake Erie! For a complete list of properties and open houses this weekend, please visit www.ProgressiveUrban.com
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Give the gift of social justice by supporting Community Shares, and make gift-giving more meaningful. Send a special e-greeting, and skip the drugstore greeting card; make a tax-deductible donation to Community Shares as a gift to someone you care about with an amazing new e-postcard, specially designed for Community Shares. http://www.CommunityShares.org/donations.shtml

County buys Whiskey Island which infuriated Mayor Jane Campbell, who used to be a County Commissioner herself; Commissioners Jimmy Dimora and outgoing Tim McCormack are prepared to overrule third Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones and purchase a piece of Whiskey Island from Dan T. Moore III who owes $1 million taxes on it. Campbell was planning to use eminent domain to seize the land, apparently saving the $6 million the County now plans to spend to purchase the land and develop it into a park with a boardwalk, volleyball courts and an observation tower, possibly by next summer. See Cleveland.com here. PD editors call the idea “half-baked” and blame it all on politics here.

CMJ Music Fest call for bands The CMJ/Rock Hall Music Fest and band submissions are upon us, as the three-day music festival is scheduled for 6/8-6/11/05 in Cleveland, and they’re determining which bands will be performing at the landmark event. A full lineup of concerts will be featured each evening at Cleveland’s hottest venues, including Beachland Ballroom, Peabody’s, Agora and the Grog Shop. The CMJ brand kicks out prime up-and-coming artists and works with record labels to recruit the best new bands. The MusicFest will feature as many as 100 artists performing for tens of thousands of music fans in Cleveland. To sign your band up, visit http://www.CMJ.com/rockfest and grab tix at http://www.TicketMaster.com, while individual tickets to shows at the Beachland Ballroom are available at http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com

Rock your marketing in 2005 Looking for a hard-nosed strategy to get your company out in front for the new year? Stimulate word-of-mouth with Internet marketing that has proven effectiveness. Make your advertising work hard for you. How to do it? Advertise with CoolCleveland.com and experience how weekly advertising into the tens of thousands of our subscribers’ inboxes can impact your company’s bottom line. Our readers click on the sponsored links, then forward Cool Cleveland to their friends, who then click on the sponsored links… you get the idea. Find out more by e-mailing us a note to Info@CoolCleveland.com

GameSnake is a free online service that matches players with pickup games and teams in over 80 sports – from dodgeball to unicycle hockey (who knew?)! GameSnake uses a player’s age, gender, location and sports preferences to match them with games and teams happening on the courts, fields and facilities in their area, and they’ve added features to cater to athletes with disabilities. Plus, this site was created right here in Northeast Ohio as a side business to an already successful venture. http://www.GameSnake.com

Drill Down NeighborhoodLink is the exclusive online home of the Cleveland Neighborhood Market Drilldown Study conducted by Social Compact, designed to provide the city, the local business community, and Cleveland neighborhoods with a unique set of dependable business-oriented data and market insights that cannot be accessed through traditional market sources. They’ve worked with KeyBank to develop a website where you can access the entire study directly from your computer. Hoping to fuel the flow of private capital by supporting informed business decision-making for future investment in Cleveland’s inner city, this effort deserves a bravo. http://www.nhlink.net/socialcompact.

Cleveland seeks Sustainability Officer Mayor Campbell will announce a City Sustainability Programs Manager to develop innovative, environmentally friendly ways for the city to save money, create jobs, and improve public health. The Mayor will announce the position at a press conference Wed 12/15 at 1PM in the Red Room on the second floor of Cleveland City Hall. Show your support for this new initiative! The job description and application information for this cool new opportunity are available on the city’s website or at http://www.TheTree.us, the portal for what’s happening in Northeast Ohio’s environmental and conservation community. Deadline for applications is 1/14/05.

Export, don’t import, culture Clear-thinking Charles Fee, who serves as producing artistic director of Cleveland’s Great Lakes Theatre Festival as well as the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, points out the value of a resident theatrical company, as opposed to commercial theatre enthralled with big names (from TV & movies, no doubt) and big money. “In Cleveland today, it may be more important to focus on building our artistic future from the riches already existing in the community than look to the outside for the ‘star’ who will put us on the map.” Exactly. See PD here.

WiFi Research If you’re a small to medium sized business that’s using WiFi (like we do here at Cool Cleveland), a student at the University of Akron conducting research would like your help. He has created an online survey that takes about 15 minutes to complete. You can take it at http://survey.uakron.edu:2929/2w2UMO/Link.html

Musician’s Union health care The Ohio office of the Musicians Assistance Program (MAP) is a nonprofit alcoholism and addiction service provider for professional musicians, and recently all regional offices of MAP were closed after MAP merged with MusiCares, a similar organization associated with the Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. A plan to continue MAP’s work in Cleveland without the support of MAP or MusiCares will occur through the creation of a new organization Recovering Professional Musicians, or RPM. RPM will continue to provide intervention, referral, counseling, and support group meetings for the music community in the Cleveland area. These are offered for musicians in recovery from drug addiction and alcoholism every Tuesday evening, 7PM at the Voodoo Lounge in Cuyahoga Falls http://VoodooAkron.com. These meetings are free of charge, confidential, and open to any area musician seeking help. Call 330-607-8360.

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Take the Tour Enjoy tours of Downtown’s most exciting new properties, the WT Grant building and the 1900 Euclid Avenue lofts during the Cool Cleveland party on 12/17. These unique buildings represent the very best in upscale urban living. Blending luxurious appointments and high-tech features that you must see to believe. The WT Grant Loft Apartments overlook Public Square and residents can enjoy the two private open-air atriums. The 1900 Euclid Avenue Lofts are located only one block from the exciting entertainment of Playhouse Square. Both buildings are truly pet friendly with no security deposit for your furry friends! Enjoy a short trolley ride to each building right from Cool Cleveland’s Holiday Romp event and walk through these amazing buildings for yourself! http://www.towneprop.com/wtgrantlofts and http://www.towneprop.com/euclid
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Sparx calculates economic impact of arts Now we know. According to a study by Cypress Research and Team NEO, of the 5500 people who attended Sparx In The City’s Urban Gallery Hop last September, 16% were from outside Cuyahoga County, and combined with other related events that weekend, such as Cool Cleveland’s Art/Tech/Dance event, Playhouse Square’s Centerfest and Tremont’s Arts & Cultural Festival, the Hop generated over $1 million in GRP (gross regional product), delivering a 900% return on investment. “This little event packed a big punch toward growing the arts and cultural tourism product in Cuyahoga County,” said Dennis Roche, president of the Convention & Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland. http://www.Cleveland.com/sparx

Sign of the times Lawyers have been allowed by law to advertise for a number of years, and occassionally they link the right message with the right media. Immigration lawyers Allen & Hodgman of South Euclid have been running an ad in the Gay People’s Chronicle encouraging people to “Immigrate to Canada,” touting Canada as “a tolerant society that extends full legal rights to both married and unmarried same-sex couples.” While most people thought it would have a detrimental effect, it’s nice to see that at least certain businesses are benefitting from the recent passage of Issue 1, which redundantly forbids same-sex marriage in the State of Ohio. http://www.AllHod.com

Get exposure for your artwork at the Cool Cleveland party One way is to secure a CC artist table, now available for the upcoming A/T/D event. Put out your art and push out your talent to our busy crowds at the upcoming Cool Cleveland Art/Tech/Dance event on Fri 12/17 from 5-8PM at the ARTcade. Find profit and gain access to hundreds of Clevelanders in the holiday mood; only a few tables are still available, and it’s first come, first served. Cleveland artists interested in offering their art, jewelry, holiday gifts, and wearable art can obtain full, half, and double tables. Contact Deby Cowdin at Vivid Art Gallery at 241-7624 or Deby@VividArtGallery.com

Kentucky fried cruelty With hideous conditions at the slaughterhouses’ facilities, you’ll wonder if your food is hygienic enough for human consumption. Along with flagrant and unnecessary animal abuse, consumers are steadily learning what happens to their food before it reaches them. Respected newspapers have written editorials decrying the situation of poultry; and yeah, chicken tastes good, but once you see the reality behind harvesting them, it’s enough to have you reaching for a salad. Get the facts at http://www.KentuckyFriedCruelty.com/why.asp and http://www.Peta.org/feat/moorefield

A university in Lakewood? With Cleveland State University expanding in Westlake, Tri-C with braches in Parma and Highland Hills Village, and recently opening their Corporate College in Westlake, what’s wrong with the University of Akron considering Lakewood for its Northern branch location? See Free Times here

Casino chasing Signaling that her 2005 re-election campaign has begun in earnest, Mayor Jane Campbell uncharacteristically announced a bold plan to kick off a statewide ballot initiative for 11/05 to give individual cities in Ohio the power to allow gambling. Smelling a silver bullet to save the region, the Greater Cleveland Partnership is commissioning another study to tell us how much cash Cleveland loses to neighboring states with casinos. Her announcement overshadowed other proposals to: a) push for location and financing decisions on a new convention center; another silver bullet solution; b) more tax incentives to attract businesses to Cleveland; and c) a study to determine if Burke Lakefront Airport is really necessary. See PD here, here and here.

Art lofts open in Slavic Village Artists of all kinds will be introduced to an exciting new stage upon which both life and art may be practiced at the grand opening of Hyacinth Lofts at 2998 East 63rd St. scheduled for Wed 12/15 at 4PM. The ceremony and open house will recognize the successful efforts of David Perkowski and Slavic Village Development to unite art-space and living-space under one roof in Cleveland’s dynamic St. Hyacinth neighborhood. Also available are rehearsal and performance space, sound rooms, and editing suites. These fresh amenities also include the standard loft apartment elements such as exercise rooms, indoor parking and great views of the city incorporated into a single package. http://www.TheHyacinthLofts.com and http://www.SlavicVillage.org

The ‘poetry map’ Just click on Ohio and you’ll find all kinds of information about festivals, facts, and famous poets related to the state. Check out bits of odd info on Ohio’s coolest and famous wordsmiths: Kenneth Koch, Rita Dove and Hart Crane. http://www.Poets.org/map

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Toast in the New Year Mardi Gras Style at Fat Fish Blue’s Masquerade Ball. Who knows who you’ll be kissing at midnight, since they’ll be wearing a mask! We invite you to kick up your heels and feast on an endless SIX COURSE Louisiana-Cajun Creole Buffet with dessert at midnight! Enjoy our Open Bar – all night – including our specialty hurricane drinks and martinis. Toast in the New Year and dance the night away to live music from our featured band. Only $99 per person. Take advantage of our exclusive Cool Cleveland offer and receive a $25 FFB certificate for every two New Year’s Eve tickets purchased by Thu 12/23. Space is limited, so call 216-875-6000 or buy your tickets directly online at http://www.FatFishBlue.com
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Cool Cleveland This Week
12.15-12.22

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

The Web Association/NEOUPA Holiday Party Jam with the Web Association while they pair up with NEOUPA (Northeast Ohio Usability Professionals Association); since their groups share a common passion, it’s the newest opportunity to toast the holidays together in a tweaked out tech environment. Marc Majercak will be providing all the holiday music and taking special requests from all the good girls and boys. Hit it up with new friends and colleagues for a fun, relaxing evening on Wed 12/15 at 6PM. Call 696-6968 or the Web Association at 373-0078. Flat Iron Cafe, 1114 Center St. in the Flats. http://www.WebAssociation.org

How to Navigate Case as a Vendor Area businesses that want to secure opportunities to bid on work at Case can find out who to talk to, the types of projects, and resources available to business owners at this free, two-day event. It’s for businesses interested in construction, architecture, engineering and building, while the second day targets businesses that sell goods and other professional services; event takes place Wed 12/15 and Thu 12/16 from 4-7PM. Call 368-8877. Case’s Thwing Center Ballroom, 11111 Euclid Ave. http://www.Case.edu

Water A curated group exhibition that explores both our personal and universal relationship to water, with exhibiting local artists Thomas Frontini, Timothy Haas, Robert Jergens, George Kozmon, James LoParo, and dozens more. See the new works with local flair on view now Thu 12/16; gallery hours are Wed and Thu from noon-5PM or by appointment. Show runs till 1/28/05. Elevation Art, 1240 Huron Rd. 5th Floor. Call 430 2751. http://www.ElevationArt.com

Wine, Art and Networking Come celebrate the holidays, support local artists, taste good wines with great value, and grow your business connections – all at one time! How? Todd Thompson of TTwine.com will be at wine tasting at the Buzz Gallery, during the Low Dough Holiday Show, providing you stimulating, original artwork for your holiday gift giving needs at great prices, while supporting the creative artists in our region. It’s all taking place at the Ryze Cleveland December networking mixer on Thu 12/16 from 6-9PM. Buzz Gallery, 1836 W. 25th St. http://ClevelandEvent.ryze.com http://www.BuzzGallery.com

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Visit The Valuables in the Vault What do monk-penned manuscripts, baseball and treatises of Victorian prostitution all have in common? They are part of the newly opened Special Collections exhibit of the Cleveland Public Library. Even those without a palette for historical reference will find this collection awesome, inspiring and titillating. Rare manuscripts abound, the valuables in the vault prove to expose visitors to the tantalizing treasures previously kept behind the scenes. From its founding in 1869, the Cleveland Public Library – the nation’s third largest public research library – has played an integral part in the cultural and educational life of Northeast Ohio. Be sure to make this tour part of your next Cool Cleveland party on Fri 12/17 [register here]. Tour The People’s University. http://www.CPL.org
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Moonshine & Martinis Run over for some hoedown espionage-with-attitude music from Spy-Fi, Cleveland/Akron’s premier spy-detective combo and Big Red Rocket, doing their new hit, “Hillbilly Girlfriend” and Billy and the Bullets rev up hot rod rockabilly at this CD release party for all three bands on Fri 12/17 at 10PM. Read the CD review of Spy-Fi’s release Spies, Thighs and Private Eyes below in Cool Cleveland Sounds. Call 475-4222. Maple Grove Tavern, 14832 Pease Rd. in Maple Heights.

1300 Christmas Party & No-Commision Show The art activists at 1300 are carrying on the tradition of offering the public a chance to get great art on the cheap with their annual holiday show that spotlights artists who have exhibited at 1300 throughout the year. Each artist will be presenting work which 1300 will take no commission on. What does this mean? Original artwork that is 30–40 percent off typical prices. Running concurrently is a holiday bash unleashing the sounds of Misterbradleyp and a raffle to win a piece of art by Derek Hess and Bask valued at over 500 dollars each; be there Fri 12/17 from 8-11PM. Show runs thu 1/7/05. Call 939-1300. 1300 West 78th St. http://www.13Hundred.com

See into CMA’s Private Collections For your eyes only: an uncomparable and guarded trove of spectacular sculpture culled by Professor Ed Olszewski, from Cleveland’s most praiseworthy private collections is coming to light for exhibition during a limited time only. These substantial works are seldom seen by the public; see sculptural creations of Victor Schreckengost, works by David E. Davis, Edris Eckhardt and William McVey on Fri 12/17 from 5:30-8:30PM. Show runs till 1/21/05. Gallery hours are Mon-Fri 10AM-4PM, Sat noon-4PM. Call 229-6527. The Sculpture Center, 1834 East 123rd St. http://www.SculptureCenter.org

Cuyahoga County Cultural Roundtable Are you a member of Cleveland’s cultural class? Community Partnership for Arts and Culture president Tom Shorgl has been doing a good job of keeping the arts community abreast of our region’s progress towards public arts funding, and everyone is invited to this Roundtable to hear updates, including a few words about the upcoming InGenuity Festival organized by Cool Cleveland’s Thomas Mulready and James Levin. Check it out on Fri 12/17 at 8:30AM. Please RSVP by emailing ecpcpac@aol.com or by calling 575-0331. Severance Hall, First Energy Room, 11001 Euclid Ave. Visit http://www.CulturePlan.org or http://www.SupportArtsAndCulture.org

Merci, Docteur Rey A zany Merchant-Ivory production in which an American diva and her 23-year-old gay son get caught up in murder and madness in modern Paris. Jane Birkin steals the show as a deranged film dubber and voiceover actress. This French/USA film is fun and worth dealing with some of the subtitles; see it Fri 12/17 at 7PM and Sun 12/19 at 1:30PM. Call 421-7350. Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd. http://www.ClevelandArt.org

Rockabilly holiday benefit where you can dig into holiday shopping at the vintage vendor alley, including Vintage Deluxe (Chicago), Lucky Kat (Columbus), and Bop City Fashions (Cleveland). For the past eight years, RHB has showcased the finest in regional and national 50s rock ‘n roll, western swing, and hillbilly bop, and now it’s pairing up to benefit the local food bank, with all proceeds and canned food donations going towards feeding those in need during the holiday season. Dig into Sun Records recording artist Jack Earls, recorded under the legendary Sam Phillips during the period when rock ‘n roll was born, The Hi-Q’s, with their debut record just released on El Toro records out of Germany, The Honeybees from Chicago, and the Rivertown Ramblers on Sat 12/18; show begins 8PM. Call 383-1124. Beachland Ballroom, 15711 S. Waterloo Rd. http://www.BeachlandBallroom.com

Late Show – Disengage/Viva Caramel Formed in Cleveland, Disengage has been creating social/political music while balacing on the tightrope between rock/hardcore/punk. With poetic lyrics and strong song structure they manage to bring out the beauty, disgust, joy, and pain that is our society. With their latest release, Application for an Afterlife, they’ve brought together a collection of songs that speak relevance, purity and truth, but most of all they flat out rock; check the boys out on Sat 12/18 at 10PM. Call 321-5588. Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Hts Blvd. http://www.Grogshop.gs

WCLVnotes There’s lots of colorful holiday programming on WCLV 104.9 FM. WCLV is now airing a daily half hour called A Cleveland Orchestra Christmas featuring the Orchestra and Chorus performing holiday selections. Presented by the Plain Dealer, it’s heard Monday through Friday, through Thu 12/23, at 12:25PM. Tomorrow evening at 9PM, the Plain Dealer will sponsor “A Cleveland Christmas” offering performances by a number of area churches and other music ensembles. This Sun 12/19 at 4PM, The Cleveland Orchestra broadcast will feature Handel’s Messiah, and at 7PM, a special holiday version of The Mighty Wurlizter Radio Hour will be broadcast live. a Cool Cleveland partner www.wclv.com

Pissed Off Party Come in and get it off your chest at the First Annual Pissed Off Party with Ohio’s top Hip Hop performers: Columbus’ Weightless Records lyrical phenomenon Illogic will play songs from his most recent project, Celestial Clockwork, backed by DJ PRZM. Cleveland’s Iyan Anomolie, nominated twice as Best Hip Hop Act, will perform music from his latest release, The Book Of I and Spittin Image, winners of the 2004 Best Hip Hop Act, and Akron-based B-Boys, IllStyle Rockers will be in the house makin’ the excitement real on Sun 12/19 at 9:30PM. Call 330-903-1717. Grog Shop, 2785 Euclid Hts. Blvd. in Cleveland Hts. mexiej17@aol.com or visit http://www.GrogShop.gs

Eliminating Impoverishment: Innovative Models to Improving Job Placement and Retention is the hot topic for the next Tuesdays at REI with Walter Ginn, Executive Director of Towards Employment and its new national model ACHIEVE. You’ll also hear from Yvonne Tufts Jeans, Workforce Manager of ShoreBank Cleveland/Jobs Partnership in Cleveland, and an innovative faith-based model first developed in North Carolina with moderator James Harris, of HL/Communications during the next session Tue 12/21 at 4PM. Call 368-5540. Case/Weatherhead School of Management The Center for Regional Economic Issues, Peter B. Lewis Building, 11119 Bellflower Rd. http://www.Weatherhead.cwru.edu/rei

Old Home Night The Beachland’s second annual Old Home Night; waltz along in a revue of changing partners, startling juxtapositions, spontaneous explorations, and unbridled happenstance for a night of deathless prose, deep blues, sharp songcraft, ferocious chops, and fearless improvisation. Meet Cleveland expat Michael DeCapite, author of Through The Windshield and the monthly column Radiant Fog; former Pere Ubu boy, Tony Maimone, and Scott Krauss, ex-Home & Garden and Cleveland veteran, involved with Bob Mould, Frank Black, and They Might Be Giants. Doug Gillard, currently a member of Guided By Voices, (previously of Death of Samantha) will be on deck along with Flat Can Company on Wed 12/22 at 8PM. Call 383-1124. Beachland Ballroom, 15711 Waterloo Rd. http://www.StudioGBrooklyn.com and http://www.DougGillard.com or http://www.SparkleStreet.com http://www.TheFlatCanCo.com

Hell’s Angels This ’30s black and white film, directed by Howard Hughes, features Jean Harlow’s screen debut, and it’s the first movie directed by tycoon Howard Hughes, a WWI aerial spectacle with peerless flying scenes and a pedestrian love story. This really cool archive print contains a restored color sequence; a real vintage vision that is part of Panorama: Moving Pictures @ the Art Museum, featuring recent and classic movies from around the world. See it Wed 12/22 at 6:45PM. Call 421-7350. Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 East Blvd. http://www.ClevelandArt.org

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Birol’s Business
Let Our Children Go (So They Can Return)

Every time I hear about Northeast Ohio’s “brain drain” I get visions of a modern-day Children’s Crusade, albeit in reverse. Rather than sending our youth off to war, promoters of the Cleveland-first movement want to incarcerate them in order to save our economically embattled region. The message to our best and brightest young people? Stick around, shut up, and do our jobs for us.

How in good conscience can any Clevelander ask recent graduates to put our region’s interests ahead of their own development, future earning power, and opportunity to learn, grow, and see the world? Spend ten minutes with any college senior and you’ll start believing the children are our future, too, for three reasons:

• They have abundant energy, hope, and optimism.
• They have more to prove and learn.
• They have their future and fortune to make.

The enthusiasm of youth is not only infectious and inspiring, it exists organically. Its survival isn’t (yet) dependent on mega-vitamins or Zoloft. Trouble is, such energy can’t remain contained…
Read Birol’s Business here and here

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Tuning In
The Temporal Angels of Mike Hovancsek

Mike Hovancsek is a busy and interesting guy. And the list of instrumentation on his most recent recording —Temporal Angels — reads like a What’s What of ethno-musicology: a vielle, a gu-zheng, the erhu, a didgeridoo, and tambura. He’s a world-class musician who composes, plays and performs “multi-cultural chamber music.” I just call it esoteric. And beautiful. Mike’s also a visual artist who works at Kent State University in the Undergraduate Studies department, while pursuing a Master’s Degree in Counseling.

Cool Cleveland: Your music has been heard on film soundtracks and 20 compact discs, at the Sundance Film Festival and on public television, in recital halls and on college and public radio stations around the world; and your most recent CD, Temporal Angels is out. What is the significance of that title?

Mike Hovancsek: It refers to a part of the brain called the temporal lobe. I’m really interested in the connection between music and spirituality and the temporal lobe plays an integral role in both of those functions. In fact, if you draw a map of brain activity during an inspired musical moment and a map of brain activity during a peak spiritual experience, the two would look virtually the same. So, music may be another form of spirituality or spirituality may be another kind of music. And there are people who have a condition known as temporal lobe epilepsy; they get these little electrical storms in the part of the brain that processes music, language, and spiritual feelings. These people describe all kinds of peak spiritual and musical experiences when their brains are firing up…
Read Tuning In with Mike Hovancsek here

RoldoLINK
Convention Center Authority Wants Privacy
by Roldo Bartimole

It couldn’t be more discouraging.

The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Convention Facilities Authority reveals all the hallmarks of another Cleveland venture that the really tells the public, “Don’t bother us.”

Don’t bother us, of course, until it’s time to pay for what the Facilities Authority tells us we need.

Former State Sen. Patrick Sweeney, a member, sounded an alarm at a recent meeting chaired by Bill Reidy, the everyman of this season’s corporate civic desires.

“I want this on the road,” Sweeney who wants the public let in on the dealings. “Let people see what we’re doing,” he said.

He hit a stonewall.

“Do you think Reidy listened at all to my suggestion?” Sweeney asked after the meeting. NO!

Reidy is the stonewall, retired partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers and reticent chairman of the Gateway Economic Development Corp. which runs Jacobs Field and Gund Arena.

No one doubts Reidy’s competence. What he lacks big time, however, is any sense of public opinion. In fact, Reidy does not like the fact that the authority has to meet in public now. You can hear it in his voice. You can see it in his mannerisms. You can read it in his terse answers even to his committee members.

Reidy is so close to the vest that his cards hit against his back.

“I think we need concrete things,” was Reidy’s response to Sweeney’s plea.

“I think we need debate,” said Sweeney. John Ryan of the AFL-CIO also said he’d rather go to the people early. “I’d be interested in what they have to say.”

There’s to be no debate…
Read RoldoLINK here

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Cool Cleveland Sounds
Music for Spies, Thighs & Private Eyes, Volumes 1 & 2
Sivle Records

Amongst the more unique recent releases by local bands are the two CDs titled Music for Spies, Thighs & Private Eyes, Volumes 1 and 2, by Akron/Cleveland based Spy-Fi. This four piece instrumental group’s first two releases feature covers of popular spy and detective movie and TV themes, with a few similar sounding originals thrown in. Both disks turn out to be quite fun and enjoyable. Quality covers of the themes from James Bond movies (“007,” “The James Bond Theme,” and “Goldfinger”) and selections from the Henry Mancini songbook (“Peter Gunn,” “Shot in the Dark”) highlight both disks. Listeners will also recognize themes from a variety of ’60s TV shows, including Batman, Get Smart, Hawaii 5-0, and Mission Impossible. Great versions of “Secret Agent Man” and “Town Without Pity” are also included. Spy-Fi does a very good job of covering these songs, especially when you consider the originals were recorded with full orchestras. Featuring Scott Anderson’s keyboards and Tom Pervanje’s guitar, Spy-Fi really fills the sound out and gives most of the cuts a bit of surf rock edge. Both disks have been getting airplay on satellite radio, and the band will be having a CD release party this Fri 12/17 starting 10PM at Maple Grove Tavern in Maple Heights. http://www.spy-fi.com
from Cool Cleveland contributor Greg Cielec cielec@hotmail.com

Instant Karma
Quick reviews of recent events
Going out this weekend? Take along your PDA and your digital camera. Scratch out a few notes to send us with a picture of it for our Instant Karma real-world reviews of what’s really happening. We’d love to hear from you. Send your stuff to Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cleveland Orchestra @ Severance Hall 12/2
Last week the Cleveland Orchestra performed a staged version of the Engelbert Humperdinck opera Hansel and Gretel. This opera has all the potential of being great fun with some great music. All the pieces were in place, a cast of great singers, the Cleveland Orchestra children’s chorus and of course the Cleveland Orchestra conducted by Franz Welser-Möst. Mr. Welser-Möst is often in his finest element in such a concert but this evening from the moment he raised his baton the race to the finish began. Not that there was not some beautiful music along the way but unfortunately some of the best music of the opera never had a chance to fully blossom. The evening had its special moments which included the performances of mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer as Hansel and soprano Malin Hartelius as Gretel. Also tenor Volker Vogel gave a memorable, zany performance as the witch. And if you were able to hold back a tear at the end of act two during the Wagnerian dream pantomime as the angels descended to dance around and protect the sleeping Hansel and Gretel then you might as well have left at intermission. This opera is filled with many great Wagner references and themes. Mr. Humperdinck actually acted as Wagner’s assistant during the preparation of Parsifal. However, many of these musical moments Welser-Most chose to rush through. Maybe he had a dinner date at 10PM, or maybe all that talk of gingerbread got his tummy rumbling. Next time Franz, eat before the performance. from Cool Cleveland contributor Brian Schriefer briancpa@msn.com

Il Pirata @ Grace Lutheran Church 12/3
Talk about a recycler. When Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini set out to write his first opera, Il Pirata, at the age of twenty-five, he had at his disposal three basic musical components: soloists, chorus, & orchestra. What followed once he was through with the 355-page score of heart-wrenchingly Romantic music, was a practically endless array of arias, ensembles, recitatives, choruses, instrumental solos, & blocks of full-blast orchestral music, all achieved by the constant reconfiguration of those three forces at hand into every combination humanly imaginable. This created two acts of some of the most intensely passionate drama that the European tradition has ever produced. Here was one composer intent on not letting any musical possibility slip by unnoticed, any emotional extreme fall through the cracks, any aesthetic nuance remain unaddressed. Bellini was just as bent on exploring his primary artistic resources as he was on penetrating the depths of the human heart.
Read the review of Il Pirata by Wanda Sobieska here

Michael Stanley Superstar @ Cleveland Black Box Theater 12/10
What: Last Call Cleveland’s rollicking stage mockumentary about the rise and fall of Cleveland’s home-grown “rock messiah.”
Reasons to go: This comic pastiche of a show-biz bio is a high-energy barrel of laughs with many funny local references. A fictionalized Michael Stanley (Mike Polk, in school-pageant Abe Lincoln beard) joins a band at Rocky River High, lusts after love interest Leah (Marcella Gattuso, nubile in leggings and go-go boots), and sells his soul to the devil in order to become a rock god — but is so naive he lowballs it, settling for being famous “between Brunswick, Willoughby, and Sheffield Lake”. Jef Etters steals the show as his evil nemesis, Pittsburgh rocker Donnie Iris. Delightful multimedia clips, from faux family footage (Stanley grows up in a plastic Tyco playhouse) to a comic sex scene.
Caveats: There’s plenty of intentional cheese, from a smirking-wooden narrator (think Rocky Horror) to wigs so bad they could crawl offstage by themselves. The show doesn’t aim high, and its performers are comics, not actors, but it hits its low-comedy targets way more often than not. A similar show in Chicago might run for 6 months or more — so what’s up with only two area performances?
Backstory: One of the area’s handful of improv comedy-theatre companies, Last Call Cleveland is now on its eighth stage show, and its first since its two sold-out performances at L.A.’s Improv Olympic West Theater. The 90-minute piece is a spin-off of its popular “Michael Stanley” sketches in earlier shows.
Target audience: Comedy lovers with a taste for the sweetly silly.
Details: Fri. 12/17 at 8 pm, at Cabaret Dada’s Cleveland Black Box Theater, 1210 W. 6th. http://www.cabaretdada.com/cbbt.shtml
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

Verlezza Dance @ Shaker Heights Community Building 12/10
Sabatino and Barbara Verlezza were the creative and artistic force behind Dancing Wheels from 1994 to 2003. Now DW has outsourced its choreographic chores to other local choreographers and the Verlezzas have stayed in town, teaching modern dance at Kent State University, Akron University, Cleveland School of Dance, continuing their creative work as Verlezza Dance. We made a point of getting to it, expecting something low to the ground production-wise, but interested to see who was dancing for the Verlezzas, what their new repertory looked like, and relying on the Verlezzas’ professionalism for a good show. Excerpts from old dances, wearing well, included Tammoriata (1984), Tobi Roppo (1986), and Story of My Death (2003). We recognized Tracy Pattison who had been a dancer in Dancing Wheels but otherwise it was all new faces to us, many of them new to dance. “What did you think of my students?” Barbara asked us after the concert. Then she laughed: “Pretty good considering they just learned to do their laundry 74 days ago.” We agreed. Her students looked very good indeed, considering. Throughout the concert they’d suffered none of the embarrassments common to new dancers; they looked good in the dives and slides that the Verlezzas use from May O’Donnell technique…
Read the review of Verlezza Dance here

Black Nativity @ Karamu 12/11
What: Langston Hughes’ Afrocentric holiday classic – part colorful Christmas pageant, part gospel revival – gets a rousing revival at Karamu.
Reasons to go: An evening of lift-you-up-until-you’re-dizzy gospel music, with huge solo-capable voices from some of the best gospel choirs in a 5-county area – standouts were Ra-Deon Kirkland, Lilly A. Elkins, and Tiffany Renee Allison. Katherine L. Tobasko’s jewel-tone costumes are a riot of lush fabrics, ending in a Magi trimmed in velvet and leopardskin. Expressive dancing and choreography – as Mary, Natasha Colon’s convulsive labor pains were so realistic, they gave me flashbacks. Michael Medcalf was a suitably desperate Joseph, and his 2nd act sacred dance made his body nearly levitate in a physical offering of devotion. Ensemble dancers from the Cleveland School of the Arts also shone, especially Bryan Marshall’s break-dancing shepherd.
Caveats: Under director/choreographer Terence M. Greene, the production is more unabashedly religious than ever – the first act a Nativity story with song & dance, the second a no-plot gospel worship service. At Saturday’s performance the sound system had occasional sizzles from the capacious vocal volumes.
Backstory: This shows the first fruits of the new collaboration between Karamu and the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre, which is now a resident company there, with CCDT’s Artistic Director Medcalf & Natasha Colon as principal dancers. So far it’s a success – the dancing was a production highlight.
Target audience: Lovers of gospel music and those who want more Christ in their Christmas.
Details: Karamu, 2355 E. 89th St. Call 795-7070. Through 12/30. http://www.karamu.com.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

Yr Turn
Cool Cleveland readers write
We encourage our readers to speak out by sending us letters and commentary. Send your letters to Letters@CoolCleveland.com. You must include your full name (required) and you may include your e-mail address (optional). You may also create a new Hotmail, Yahoo or Gmail e-mail address and submit it with your letter. Letters submitted to Cool Cleveland, or edited portions, may be published in an upcoming issue of Cool Cleveland at our discretion.

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

On cool X-mas music I enjoyed Clyde Miles’ piece on Christmas music that appeared in this week’s issue of Cool Cleveland [here]. Very funny. To answer his question, no, I haven’t released a Christmas album…but I do have some original Christmas tunes to freely download at http://www.dianatyler.com/dtlisten.html. Comedy for the whole family: Christmas in Arizona (think Spike Jones) Ditto–but especially for those with loved ones away from home: Kisses for Christmas Day. Spiritual: This Gift’s for You. For ADULTS ONLY: Ho-Ho-Ho (He-He-He). And may all your cheese logs be bright….
from Cool Cleveland reader Diana Tyler http://www.dianatyler.com

On gift cards Regarding your “Chagrin Falls Gift Card” announcement [here], you did not mention that Cleveland Heights also has a successful gift card program (sold through “Future Heights” at http://www.futureheights.org/site/futureheights/section.php?id=7827. Unlike exurban cities like Hudson and Chagrin Falls, which are isolated communities that contribute to suburban sprawl, Cleveland Heights is an inner-ring suburb with plentiful public transportation to downtown Cleveland.
from Cool Cleveland reader David Maltz

On Where’s Roldo? Omigod! I knew the minute I read Waldo (Sorry, Roldo [here]) say: “It goes to an affliction that inspires bad behavior by Americans in general. Maybe it’s part of being the world’s superpower. The supreme position pervades the society starting with its leadership and extending to the rest of us,” that it wouldn’t be more than a few sentences before he was blaming the president. And I was right. Roldo’s piece (the kindest word I can think of) was all over the place. I defy anyone to know what exactly he thinks was the root cause of the ‘basketbrawl’ He blames cable news, the president, the fans, the Roman subjugator attitude of Americans, the fans’ sense of privilege and entitlement, Enron, Global Crossing, etc. But I don’t recall him blaming Artest. In fact, he believes that poor Ron and pals will take all the fall but that none of the fans will. (No doubt, the result of a ‘strutting President George Bush’ or a ‘swaggering Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’). Here’s the truth. The NBA contains members from the rap culture of thuggery. ‘Do not let them get away with dissing you’ is their First Commandment. Braggadocio, swaggering, and chest thumping are all symptoms of what is happening. (Would you like your eight year old to behave like that at one of his/her athletic contests? I most sincerly hope not.) If there’s an attitude of entitlement, it belongs to Artest. He is NOT an example of how to live one’s life. Are there fans who should also be punished? Of course: the original cup thrower, the chair thrower, and those misguided folks pouring beer on the players leaving the court. Everyone who was behaving illegally MUST be punished. If we do not, things will only get worse. But, to pawn the cause off on our culture and our president (with whom Roldo obviously disagrees) exhibits weak thinking. Or at least thinking that has been overtaken by personal agenda. When Roldo discusses Frank Jackson for Mayor, he does a decent job. Not particularily hard-hitting but at least it had a personal story in it that had information I could not get elsewhere. But his attempt at the ‘basketbrawl’ story was just another chance for him to try to pass off his personal bias as critical thinking. It’s interesting to note that Artest and his representatives said much the same thing, and I paraphrase, “Look at Iraq! How are these players supposed to act when our president has started an unjust war for personal gain.” Did Roldo have a solution to the problem? Apparently it was to get rid of President Bush. Oh, yeah, and to work for the creation of at least one more superpower in the world so that we’re not so arrogant. Omigod!
from Cool Cleveland reader Randy Martin randymartin@ameritech.net

On tortured former Clevelanders If I read one more letter about some tortured former Clevelander bemoaning his return to his drab roots, I’ll scream. Of course New York, Boston, Chicago and San Francisco are dream cities. Some of them have five to ten times the population of Cleveland and never had to endure any mass exodus of industry and retail. But why, when there’s so much in the works to develop the arts, transportation and retail in downtown Cleveland (with the largest residential growth of any downtown in the Midwest), do these just-too-artistic emmigrants continue to restate the obvious? Spare us your indignation and look in the mirror. You grew up in the suburbs; your family never bothered to pry themselves away from Beachwood Mall; you shrugged when arts groups tried to produce festivals and special concerts and programs; you never rang a doorbell to promote city aid for culture; you never bothered to understand the dynamic between big and small business and the arts community. You simply decided you’re going to be famous, and how dare Cleveland not comply!? So, go to New York and party with all the other self-congratulatory malcontents from the backwaters of America. There’s just too much going on right now, right here in Northeast Ohio. I can enjoy a New Cleveland right from the beginning and be the better for it.
from Cool Cleveland reader Howard Gollop

On Kate Voegele A friend recently forwarded an interview about local singing sensation Kate Voegele [here] that mentioned my name as the producer and recording engineer of her EP The Other Side. I wanted to thank you for the plug! Not many people are aware of how much I contributed to that project and it was nice to get some props for once! I’m also writing to let you know that we have built a really serious recording studio right here in Cleveland, Ante Up Audio (http://www.anteupaudio.com) Like your site, we’re committed to helping people realize how many great things we have here in our city. Being a multiple gold and platinum award winning producer, I’ve had many offers to head up studios out on the west coast and in NYC but I chose to stay here because I truly believe in what Cleveland is capable of achieving with the right push. I would like to invite anyone from your staff who may be interested to drop in on our 1st Annual Christmas Party and Open House. It will be held at the studio on Wed 12/15 (see invitation below). I know it’s short notice, but If there’s any chance we might be able to get a small posting on your site referencing the Open House, that would be great! It’s really nice to see someone else working to promote all of the cool things we have at our disposal in Cleveland. Your site is a prime example of what it’s going to take to get this city to where it SHOULD be!
from Cool Cleveland reader Michael Seifert michael@anteupaudio.com

Send your letters to: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Top 5
Cool Cleveland uses Opticast tools to track which articles were clicked the most. Here are the Top 5 from last week’s issue, with one more chance for you to click.

1) Mountain biking indoors in Cleveland A hardcore bicyclist made the 350-kilometre trek from his home in Niagara Falls, Ontario to an indoor mountain biking park in Cleveland. Now he’s opened Ray’s Indoor MTB Park, a 66,000 square foot North Shore-style playground in West Cleveland. http://www.pinkbike.com/modules/news/?op=articleview&id=2280

2) Cool Cleveland vYbe Snapshot: Kate Voegele CC’s vYbe hooks you up with 20-somethings who have something more to offer creatively and intellectually. Kate Voegele may look like the girl next door, but she’s really a pop singer/songwriter from Bay Village who recently headlined with Dave Matthews. Cool Cleveland People Kate Voegel

3) Residents question Lakefront plan Not everyone wants to turn over prime Lakefront land to developers for residential development. http://www.nhlink.net/plainpress/december2004/news/01_lakefront_plans_dont_mesh.php

4) Strange and unusual dictionary of all vowel words It doesn’t seem possible, but yes, there are words made up entirely of vowels. http://www.OneLetterWords.com/vowel/a.html

5) Holiday Romp: Heat up your holiday for a royally wicked time this season, as Cool Cleveland creates a groove gridlock of network synergy crusading in an unparalled environment oozing with vibes, art, and hors d’oeuvres from area restaurants, on Fri 12/17 from 5-8PM, with after-party at House of Blues. http://www.CoolCleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.Party

Focus on Cleveland and the future Dare to be different in your reading habits; if you’re perusing Cool Cleveland, you’re helping the city turn toward the positive while being mindful of new media efforts in Cleveland (us!). We appreciate our readers who keep us connected, and we promise to deliver the goods Cool Cleveland-style to your inbox. You’re helping CC become the media of choice that’s rocking the city. Now you and your friends can scope out our website, and take in the latest on life in Cleveland. Send along friends and co-workers to register for the no-charge e-zine at http://www.CoolCleveland.com or have ’em send an e-mail to Signup@coolcleveland.com

Hard Corps sweat the details And that’s the way we like it; working it up and getting the content that kicks. We appreciate the Hard Corps weekly contributions – thanks to everyone working it up for CC: Tisha Nemeth, Tim McCue, Deb Remington, Greg Cielec, Andy Birol, Linda Eisenstein, Victor Lucas, Brian Schriefer, Steve Maistros, Daiv Whaley, TL Champion, Bill Nagode, George Nemeth, Ivan Jackson, 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

See the Cool Cleveland column each month in Cleveland Magazine. Listen to Cool Cleveland on WCLV-FM 104.9 twice each Friday during drive time. Send your cool events to: Events@coolcleveland.com. For your copy of the free weekly Cool Cleveland e-zine, go to http://www.CoolCleveland.com

Enjoy the season,

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com (:divend:)