Invigorating

2.16-2.23

Invigorating

In this week’s issue:
* Cool Cleveland Commentary Invigorating University Circle by Kelly Ferjutz
* Cool Cleveland Sounds review of Stark Raving Jams CD from Glass Harp
* Cool Cleveland Interview Denise Neil, Regional Director of Children’s Hunger Alliance by Tisha Nemeth-Loomis

Cool Cleveland Commentary
Invigorating University Circle
By Kelly Ferjutz

University Circle is Cleveland’s gem. Home to a plethora of museums, parks, universities, hospitals, non-profits and community organizations, it may be the most cultured single square mile anywhere. But even gems need polishing. In this commentary, Kelly Ferjutz proposes six ideas to invigorate University Circle: a Grocery Store; Solar-Powered Lighted UCI CircleLink Bus Stops; Senior Residence for UCI volunteers, with credit toward rent/utilities for volunteer hours; More Mid-Price Apartments; Walkability; and a Performing Arts Center and Film Studio to bring more activity into the existing cultural diversity of the area.

Idea #6: Performing Arts and Film Center

Curiously enough, with all the arts organizations located in University Circle, there is nothing that can properly be called a performing arts center, even on a small scale. Of course, Severance Hall has the world-famous concert hall, as well as the delightful Reinberger Chamber Hall, the Museum of Art has Gartner Auditorium and a charming Lecture Hall; the Museum of Natural History has Murch Auditorium and the Institute of Music has Kulas Hall (as does University Hospital, did you know that?) CASE has Strosacker, and the Institute of Art has an auditorium, but even with all these performance spaces, there is a huge gap in capacity. There is not one concert hall of 750-1000 seats. Not one! One bigger and many smaller, but that doesn’t help Apollo’s Fire or Red {an orchestra} who are both desperately seeking performance homes. Also, consider dance. Where on earth is a suitable space for dance? All of the above mentioned auditoriums have their own purpose in life, for which they are well suited. Performance is seldom a one-size-fits-all arrangement, however. An auditorium designed for one particular purpose cannot always be made to accept an alternate design. In addition, there is not one centrally-located film/recording studio near UCI, which has numerous schools teaching this craft within a two-mile radius! Wouldn’t it be neat if there could be one complex housing the performing space mentioned above as well as a smaller, bijou theatre (150-250 seats) and a sound/film studio all in one? East Cleveland, immediately adjacent to UCI has an overabundance of usable land, almost in the shadow of Lakeview Cemetery. This area needs jobs and a boost to the economy, not to mention a sense of pride…
Read the Cool Cleveland Commentary by Kelly Ferjutz here

Cool Cleveland Night Out in the Warehouse District

Looking for a fun night out with your Cool Cleveland compatriots? Join the excitement on Fri 3/4 after work as we land at ground zero of Cleveland’s hottest night life. This time you don’t have to choose, you can do it all: hear both live music and boss DJs. Enjoy Cool Cleveland’s patented open bar featuring both beer and wine. Sample fine delicacies and hors d’oeuvres or just enjoy the company of Cool Cleveland readers out for the evening. Check out the tables and booths, and hang in one of Cleveland’s best neighborhoods for urban living, nightlife, amenities and attractions. Check out the multiple rooms at WISH from 5:30 to 8PM, then stick around for free admission and drink specials all night, with deep house by DJ Mike Metz and the Salsa Social Club featuring Sammy DeLeon y Su Orquesta. Mark your calendar and lock in your lowest cost by registering and paying online before midnight Thu 2/17 by clicking here: Newsletter/Party

School levies fail once again People tired of the constant drain on their checkbooks, and disgusted that Ohio schools are still funded by an immoral and unconstitutional method (the Ohio Supreme Court reiterated this four times), turned down their local school levies in the special election last week. Statewide, 41 of a record 64 school issues were defeated, and in NEO, 17 of 24 said, “No!.” Schools immediately began cutting sports, closing schools, and aborting construction projects. Sheffield-Sheffield Lake turned down eight straight school tax measures, and their school district was placed into state receivership in January. See stories here and here. A note to Governor Bob Taft is guaranteed to produce few results, but it might make you feel better. Write to him here, since he doesn’t have e-mail: 77 South High Street, 30th floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6117. If you do, cc: us here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Mass business helps schools A coalition of business and school leaders in Massachusetts have once again come together to craft a plan to turn around the 100 worst schools in the state, including charter schools, while also raising standards for all students. The $400-$600 million plan is being developed in anticipation of a Mass Supreme Court decision in a school-funding lawsuit. A different group invigorated the state’s education system in 1993 under similar circumstances. “It involves bringing private-sector support to bear on what’s arguably one of the most important public policy initiatives of our time,” said a law firm partner involved in the effort. See The Boston Globe here

OIFF wants your films This November in Cleveland will mark the organization’s 19th festival, and you’ll want to be part of the Ohio Independent Film Festival’s very cool event. Boasting an internationally recognized line-up of first-class independent films from around the world, it only accepts film and video submissions without theatrical distribution. This festival is programmed 100% from those submissions, and film and video entrants are offered a free festival pass regardless of acceptance status. It’s a rare festival that understands filmmakers, so submit your films and videos; deadlines are Tue 3/1, Sun 5/1, and Fri 6/10. Call 651-7315 or get info at OhioIndieFilmFest@juno.com or http://www.OhioFilms.com

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Love Downtown? Live Downtown! Beat the winter doldrums by attending the Second Annual I Love Downtown, a tour of downtown Cleveland and just beyond! Presented in conjunction with Historic Gateway Neighborhood, Historic Warehouse District and the City of Cleveland, the tour will take place this Sun 2/20 from 1-5 PM. Register now and plan to meet up at either the Waterstreet Grill on W. 9th, or at Pickwick and Frolic on E. 4th for complimentary beverages; transportation will be provided via trolley to many Downtown properties including the Sincere Building Condominiums and the Pointe at Gateway. The Sincere Building at E. 4th and Prospect features 2 bedroom/2 bath luxury suites with views of downtown, steps away from the House of Blues – starting at $289,900. The Pointe at Gateway features 1 and 2 bedroom, light-filled condos with expansive windows and great historic details; 1 bedroom units start under $100,000 and 2 bedroom units start in the low $100’s. Register now and pay the advance only ticket price of $20 – call 771.1994 for all the details! For a complete list of open houses this weekend, please visit www.ProgressiveUrban.com
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International Student Lecture Series Find out about foreign cultures, meet students from around the world, and hear about some of the countries served by Ten Thousand Villages. There is no admission charge and you can bring your lunch to eat during the lecture. Ten Thousand Villages at Trinity Commons and the Center for International Studies at Cleveland State University are continuing this informative series every Thursday, including next Thu 2/24 from 12:15-1PM focusing on China. Series runs thru 4/28. Contact Ten Thousand Villages at 575-1058. Trinity Commons, 2254 Euclid Ave. http://Cleveland.TenThousandVillages.com

Akron’s youth movement Not content to take the issue of brain gain lying down, the Greater Akron Chamber has hired consultant Rebecca Ryan to study the city for 6 months and make recommendations for how to make the city more youth-friendly [here]. Akron Life and Leisure magazine pitches in with their Feb issue with The Young and the Mighty, a focus on 25 young professionals such as Leah Anglin, Economic Development Specialist with the city of Akron; Elizabeth Sheeler, Communications Officer with the Akron Art Museum and president of ArtCetera; and serial entrepreneur Nick Reinfeld. Most on the list are grads of U of Akron or Kent State. The article is not online, so look for it on newsstands. Send your comments to editor@bakerpublishing.com or guzy@greaterakronchamber.org and drop us a copy at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

How New Orleans does it Rather than whine about the flight of young people from their city, three New Orleans universities have teamed up to create the Inter-Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization to connect students who are interested in starting businesses with networks of potential partners, funders and economic development efforts. Students from the University of New Orleans, Tulane and Loyola Universities hope the program will encourage recent grads to stick around. See BizNewOrleans.com here

SuperCharge your marketing Find out how your business can engage Cleveland’s young professionals where they spend the most time: online at their computer. Cool Cleveland is delivered directly into the In-Boxes of tens of thousands of NEOhioans and those who care about Cleveland, every week. Let us tell you how to share our growing success. Info@CoolCleveland.com

Lakewood Chamber against smoking ban Because the proposed Lakewood smoking ban would be enacted unilaterally, the Chamber’s board of directors felt that “Such legislation, unique to Lakewood, would put numerous businesses at a clear competitive disadvantage…” Apparently they feel that smokers will flee Lakewood for the night clubs in Rocky River and West Park. What’s your opinion? Call the Lakewood Chamber at 226-2900 and drop us a line at Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Downtown Ohio comes to Lakewood Alive A joint effort between the City and Chamber of Commerce, Lakewood will participate in a Downtown Assessment Resource Team (D.A.R.T) visit on Tue 3/1 thru Wed 3/2 with a workshop facilitated by the Downtown Ohio, Inc., Ohio Main Street Program. Downtown Ohio, Inc. helps communities apply proven methods and a disciplined approach to revitalization. The workshop is the first step in assessing how certain principles might be applied to our unique downtown commercial district, in hopes it will be a long-term, intensive, collaborative effort to provide numerous committee and volunteer opportunities. http://www.DowntownOhio.org and http://www.LakewoodAlive.com/contact.htm

Projects aborted Two major development projects were halted last week, although they are not expected to indicate a slow-down in the red-hot urban real estate market in Cleveland. Battery Park, a condo and apartment complex in the Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood being developed by Marous Development to include meeting space, a deli, a bar and a dining room, along with an ambitious 325 units of single homes, townhomes and flats, was halted due to problems with the land deal on the former 13-acre Eveready site. Meanwhile, Marous shuttered its model suite at District Park on West 9th Street in the Warehouse District, and resumed parking lot operations there, citing rising construction costs. The project was expected to be an ambitious $100 million, three-building housing complex with 295 units.

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Anything is Possible When You Follow Your Dreams is award-winning, best-selling author E. Lynn Harris’ message of inspiration. As the world’s first African American male fiction writer to debut at number two on the New York Times best seller list, Harris realizes how the struggles of daily life can get in the way: “I wish that when I was young, I had celebrated my differences.” All of Harris’ books have been bestsellers: Invisible Life, And This Too Shall Pass, Not A Day Goes By, A Love of My Own, Any Way the Wind Blows, and others. He will speak on Sun 2/20 at 2PM at Cleveland Public Library in the Louis Stokes Auditorium, East 6th St. Contact http://www.cpl.org or 623-2869 for more information.
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Blackwell ignores Congress Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, the top state official in charge of voting, who was allowed to co-chair George Bush’s re-election campaign in Ohio (how messed up is that?), refused last week to meet with the House Administration Committee to talk about irregularities in the November election, even though he was in Washington, DC when the meeting took place. Referring to Blackwell and Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood, who also ignored the request to meet, a committee member said “the arrogance of those secretaries of state not to be here today is an affront to those who elected them to office,” (that would be you and me) and the committee vowed to meet with the secretaries in Columbus and Florida; possibly issuing subpoenas. Send Secretary Blackwell a note here: Election@SOS.State.OH.US and copy us here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Something to argue about It’s the kind of thing you talk about all the time; finally someone put it down on paper: the top 25 songs that came out of Northern Ohio. See if you agree with writer/musician David Budin of Northern Ohio Live here, then tell us what you really think: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

The Bop never stops On the heels of its anticipated demise, Cleveland jazz club The Bop Stop announced this week that “We are currently gathering information on how to proceed with our next phase,” and they will no longer be a bar and a restaurant, although their custom-built showroom on Detroit Avenue is available for corporate functions. They also expect soon to “have news to report of a dynamic partnering with local universities for student presentations.” http://www.ClevelandBopStop.com

Breaking the Ice Cleveland Institute of Music gets ready to begin an expansion project for a new Recital Hall and teaching facilities. And they’ll certainly be celebrating Invacare Corp chairman Malachi Mixon III’s recent $3 million gift. Officials at CIM will use percussion mallets to shatter an ice gong at the future location of a music garden. Hot chocolate is provided for guests, who can also view ice sculptures in the area. Musical performances and an update on the intricacies of the upcoming expansion will occur at Kulas Hall. Event starts Fri 2/18 at 11:30AM. Ceremony is open to all, and Doc Severinsen, former bandleader for The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson will be in attendance also, and will perform at a benefit concert at Severance Hall later that night. Call 795-3169. http://www.CIM.edu

Stopping sprawl By building a third interchange off I-90 in Avon, Cleveland’s Western suburbs suffer. Can’t we stop this insanity? The First Suburbs consortium sent a letter last week to the Cuyahoga County commissioners and the County mayor’s association complaining that this project decimates farmland, drains population and increases costs for city services. The Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency’s guidelines call for limiting the negative effects on our region’s inner ring communities. So why is NOACA still expected to give their go-ahead? See the story here, and give us your thoughts here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com.

Wal-Mart deal still alive Promising not to sell groceries until 2013, Wal-Mart is asking that Cleveland City Council kill proposed legislation introduced by City Councilman Joe Cimperman that would disallow big-box stores larger than 90,000 sf to sell groceries in more that 5% of their stores. The developer, Mitchell Schneider, who built Legacy Village, said that both Target and Home Depot have linked their potential leases to Wal-Mart becoming a tenant of Steelyard Commons, a big-box retail center planned for land on the Cuyahoga River west of the ISG steel mill under the Jennings Freeway. The center would be the largest in Cuyahoga County. Send your thoughts to Cimperman here: Ward13@ClevelandCityCountil.org, and Council President and Mayoral candidate Frank Jackson here: Ward05@ClevelandCityCouncil.org and copy Cool Cleveland here: Letters@CoolCleveland.com

Great Lakes seeks bards Submit your original music to the Bardstock FM Shakespearean songwriting contest. The Great Lakes Theater Festival in partnership with WCPN 90.3 FM Ideastream wants to see what you’ve got. All students currently in grades 6-12 are eligible; the competition is also open to soloists and bands, and music submissions of all styles and genres are accepted. Student finalists will receive a free professional recording of their new songs in WCPN’s state of the art recording studio and a live radio broadcast of their work on a special edition of WCPN’s Around Noon. Deadline to register is Fri 2/25. For info, call 241-5490 x307 or email DanielGreatLakes@aol.com or visit http://www.GreatLakesTheater.org

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Celebrate the art of filmmaking with the Cleveland Museum of Art at their Fast Forward extravaganza on Fri 2/25! Enjoy a sneak preview of Laura Paglin’s shot-in-Cleveland feature film The Night Owls of Coventry at 7:30PM and hobnob with the Director and stars! After the film, from 10PM to 1AM, stick around for an amazing evening of digital art, animation, European short films, music, dancing, cash bars and food — all inspired by the art of filmmaking! Tickets to the movie preview and party are only $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Can’t make the movie? Then come down for the party only at 10PM for only $10 in advance or $15 at the door. For more information or to buy tickets go to www.clevelandart.org/fastforward or call 216-421-7530.
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Cleveland Art History A beautifully, slick website that’s a new resource for classrooms to use as an aid to see and learn about important works of art. Check it out at http://www.ClevelandArtAndHistory.org

Communities Against Rape and Abuse aims to undermine the essential causes of sexual violence. It utilizes community organizing to build safe, supportive communities. Members can attend support group facilitation training, develop strategies for mutual accountability among friends and family, and develop projects which emphasize positive sexuality. http://www.cara-seattle.org

Dogs of Thailand Photographed in the weeks just before the tsunami hit Thailand, the dogs that posed for this calendar are from all over Thailand, including the west coast of Phuket. This year, a portion of the proceeds will go towards tsunami relief. Calendars can be purchased through Independent Pictures. http://www.OhioFilms.com

MAP Multi-Arts Production Fund The Multi-Arts Production (MAP) Fund assists artists who are in need of financial help in their creative projects, and it’s easy to apply online. Visit http://www.MapFund.org

Contaminated human embryonic stem cells used for research are becoming tainted with nonhuman molecules from the culture medium that is used to grow the cells, according to recent research. Stem cells are useful because they can develop into numerous types of cells to form organs and other parts of the body; researchers are earger to use these cells to repair damaged organs and cure diseases. Read Wired here

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Notable verve! Sexy. Funny. Engaging. Canada’s hottest dance company, Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal, is coming to Cleveland’s Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square Center on Fri 2/25 at 8PM. The one night only performance of “The Stolen Show,” is an unstoppable combination of dance and theater. Described by The New York Times as “Notable for the verve of the dancing and the ingenuity of the choreography,” Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal is a must see for arts lovers. Order your tickets online through tickets.com or call 216.241.6000. Co-presented by Cuyahoga Community College Center for Arts and Culture and Dance Cleveland?, who each year bring world-renowned and rising stars to perform for you during their seasons. Visit http://www.dancecleveland.org and http://www.tri-c.edu/ca for more information on this unique performance.
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Cool Cleveland This Week

2.16-2.23

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

The People Behind the Hits with Bob Merlis This new interview series gives audiences a glimpse of the music business not often seen. Meet and hear a music industry veteran whose name had been synonymous with Warner Brothers Records. A few years ago, Merlis started his own public relations and consulting business with clients that include John Mellencamp, Etta James, ZZ Top and others. Get a listen of what it’s like to be in the company of rockers on Wed 2/16 at 7PM. Harkness Chapel, 11200 Bellflower Rd. on the Case Western Reserve University Campus. http://Music.Case.edu/sspbh/index.php

Cloud Tectonics created by José Rivera, is a magic realism tale about finding a special love that makes time seem to lose all meaning, presented in the Shadowbox Theatre. Get acquainted with the east side and take an evening trip to The Willoughby Fine Arts Association on Thu 2/17, Fri 2/18 and Sat 2/19 at 8PM. Call 440-951-6637. At 38660 Mentor Ave. in Willoughby. http://www.FineArtsAssociation.org

Developing Downtown Come to a special event hosted by Downtown Cleveland Partnership as Brad Segal, President of Progressive Urban Management Associates speaks about the possibility of building a Business Improvement District in Downtown Cleveland. If you are interested in supporting future growth in downtown locations, stop by Thu 2/17 at 8AM; breakfast is included. RSVP at 566-5450, and get info at 736-7799. 1220 Huron Rd, 1st floor. http://www.DowntownClevelandPartnership.com

Adapting to a Changing World The 2005 eVolution of Manufacturing event honors Northeast Ohio manufacturers that best exemplify excellence. This year’s conference takes a closer look at how successful businesses adapt to our changing world. Meet the eVolution award winners and network with area business leaders, then sit back and listen as Joseph Keithley, CEO and chairman of the board of Keithley Instruments, talks about the effects of global marketing and its subsequent challenges on Thu 2/17 from 5:30-9PM. Presented by Smart Business and CAMP. Register at 440-250-7021. CAMP Manufacturing & Technology Complex, 1768 East 25th St. dgarofalo@sbnonline.com

Feeding the Masses Celebrate the opening and dedication of the new food distribution center for Cleveland Foodbank. With the prospect of this new building, more than 18 million pounds of food can be sent yearly to hunger centers around the area. Stop by the grand opening ceremony on Thu 2/17 at 2:30PM. Call 738-2265. 15500 South Waterloo Rd. http://www.ClevelandFoodBank.org

Tchaikovsky’s World The Cleveland Orchestra performs their Education Concerts for schoolchildren in Severance Hall this Fri 2/18 at noon, just like they have for over 3 million kids since 1918. Developed for grades 6, 7 and 8, this program introduces children to one of the world’s best-known composers with excerpts from some of Tchaikovsky’s most famous works, and features Cleveland School of Dance students onstage performing ballet selections from The Nutcracker. Severance Hall, 11001 Euclid Avenue, 231-1111 or 800-686-1141 http://www.ClevelandOrchestra.org

Ultimate Grand Slam for youth This is an excellent opportunity for students in the Cleveland Municipal School district to voice their reactions in a positive way about the lack of school funding and how it impacts them. Catalyst Cleveland is sponsoring two poetry slams, and both winners will participate in the quarterfinals for the chance to take part in the National Youth Poetry Slam. The first one crashes in Fri 2/18 at 7:30PM. Call 623-6322. Lucky’s Café, 777 Starkweather Ave. The second event is scheduled on Fri 2/25 at 7:30PM, Deuteronomy 8:3 Café Books and Music, 1464 at E. 105 St.

Romantic Gypsy Music and Wine Hear the sweet violin and accordion duo of Walt Mahovlich and Steven Greenman this Fri 2/18 from 5-8PM at a casual wine tasting at The Stress-Less Gourmet, 15203 Pearl Road in Strongsville. Enjoy 4 one-ounce pours of various Turner Road Estates wine and a Benzinger Chardonnay. Light apps will also be served. 440-878-2025 http://www.StressLessGourmet.com

Night Under the Stars is the Cleveland Museum of Natural History’s annual party held this Fri 2/18 from 8PM-Midnight. Sponsored by the Museum’s Nature League, this event features live music by Wild Horses, dancing, a raffle/drawing, hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. The Museum’s astronomer, Clyde Simpson, will also be hosting special planetarium shows. Proceeds benefit CMNH’s Nature League programs. Call 800-317-9155 x 3279 for reservations. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval Dr., University Circle. Find out more at http://www.cmnh.org/nature-league.html

Venus unravels a memorable view into female life experience. A young woman, taken from her home in what is now South Africa, is brought to London in 1810, and shown as a sideshow freak. Objectified and abused, she is resilient throughout the ups and downs of her fate, emerging as a character with incredible dignity. She eventually goes to court, fighting for her right to exhibit herself. See this story of love, loss, grief and strength within a woman made voiceless by history on opening night this Fri 2/18 at 8PM, running through 2/26. Call 631-2727 ext. 203. Cleveland Public Theatre’s Gordon Square Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave. http://www.cptonline.org

A Generation Emerging Youth expressionism comes to the forefront in this juried exhibition featuring Northeast Ohio artists between the ages of 18 and 30. See the emerging and evolving works of artists Dana Oldfather and Damon Reeves at the opening recepetion on Fri 2/18 from 6-9PM. Call 687-2103. Cleveland State University Art Gallery, 2307 Chester Ave. http://www.csuohio.edu/art/gallery

Karmapoint Run over and see the the upcoming underground ExBe Showcase IV, rolling out an intimate, low-key fusion of classical, traditional and experimental sound, hosted by All Go Signs. Listen to your heart’s desire to Pointless Orchestra, To Box With Man, Dhikr Duo, Fluxmonkey, Ancillary on Sat 2/19 at 8PM in an art, design and music evironment. Check out ExperimentalBehavior’s multi-experiential event at 1935 West 95th St. Visit http://www.ExperimentalBehavior.com and http://AllGoSigns.com

Imagination 2 Workshops The popular Imagination 2 workshop series returns, and participants can select a four-workshop series in fiction, poetry, essay or memoir. Experienced writers will guide students through the mysteries of genre, craft and workshop technique. In addition, Cleveland State will host a workshop for playwrights, aspiring or just curious, along with a workshop for high school students to be held at Cleveland State’s downtown campus. These workshops begin on Saturday mornings beginning Sat 2/19 from 9:30AM-12:30PM; workshops run through Sat 3/26 to be held at seven locations throughout Greater Cleveland in February and March. Register in advance at 687-2532 or 687-4522. For a list of locations, contact imagination2@csuohio.edu and visit http://www.csuohio.edu

Liturgical (sacred) dance workshop Led by director/choreographer Diane McIntyre, this Cleveland native has choreographed over thirty productions on Broadway, off-Broadway, regionally and for London’s West End. She has choreographed for her own touring company of sixteen years, Sounds in Motion, and for the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Locally, her work has been seen and enjoyed in the recent Cleveland Play House production of Crowns, a Gospel musical based on the book adapted by Regina Taylor. Get right with sacred movement on Sat 2/19 Church of the Saviour from 9:30AM-1PM. Make reservations at 321-8880. Church of the Saviour, 2537 Lee Road in Cleveland Hts.

WCLVnotes WCLV 104.9 FM continues its passion for live music with the next in the Norton Memorial Organ Recital series this Sun 2/20 at 3PM. David Briggs performs a recital entitled The Art of the Improviser with selections by Bach, Saint-Saens, Dupre, Debussy and some of his own improvisations. Because of the start time of 3PM, Sunday’s Cleveland Orchestra broadcast will begin at 5PM. It’s the first of the Beethoven Piano Concerto Festival broadcasts with Radu Lupu as soloist in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4. Franz Welser-Moest also conducts Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 Unfinished and Berg’s Three Orchestra Pieces. This is the same program that wowed the New Yorkers at Carnegie Hall recently as the concluding concert of the local band’s week long residency. a Cool Cleveland partner www.wclv.com

Learn to Go it Alone at Business Unusual Dave Stack, President of MusicStack and creator of one of the nation’s highest volume internet-based music companies as well as the burgeoning Web site, PluggedinCleveland.com, will discuss the basic pitfalls, success factors and triumphs of making a go of it alone during his presentation. Stack made his fortune with various entrepreneurial skills: recognizing opportunity, assuming risk, and creating value people will pay for. Hear his experiences on Sun 2/20 from 7:45-9:30AM. Call COSE at 592-2222. Embassy Suites Independence, 5800 Rockside Woods Blvd. in Independence. https://cose.org/index.asp and http://www.PluggedInCleveland.com

Masterworks from The Phillips Collection This is the one you’ve been waiting for. 56 celebrated European paintings from the 19th and early 20th centuries are arriving in Cleveland; get up close and personal with works by Degas, van Gogh, Klee, Monet, El Greco and other significant international classics. These heart-stopping works will be in our city for a limited time at the Cleveland Museum of Art; opening day for the exhibition arrives on Sun 2/20 from 10AM-5PM; on view till 5/29. Call 421-7340. The Cleveland Museum of Art, 11150 E. Blvd. http://www.ClevelandArt.org

Cleveland Public Library’s Writers’ and Readers’ Series with African American male fiction writer, E. Lynn Harris, winner of the prestigious James Baldwin Award. This writer has gifted the literary world with eight best-sellers, including Not a Day Goes By, which debuted at the number two slot on the New York Times list – a first for an African-American fiction writer. Meet and listen to the author on Sun 2/20 at 2PM. Call 623-2800. Main Library, Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium, East 6th St. and Superior Ave. http://www.CPL.org

Second Annual I Love Downtown where you can take a trolley tour (although many sites are within easy walking distance to one another) to view 12 exciting residential properties, including The Bingham, Bradley Building, Bridgeview Apartments, The Chicle Building, Fredrick at Fourth, Huron Square, National Terminal Warehouse Apartments, The Pointe at Gateway, Sincere Building, Walker & Weeks and Water Street Condominiums. The tour will also provide patrons a chance to see Idea Center, the new office venue under construction in Playhouse Square on Sun 2/20 from 1-5PM. You’ll check in at noon on the day of the event at both Waterstreet Grill, 1265 West 9th St. and Pickwick & Frolic Restaurant and Club, 2035 East 4th St. http://www.WarehouseDistrict.org/events/events/default.asp

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Whose Idea Was That? What do Garrett Morgan, Merry Hull and Thomas Edison have in common? They are all inventors from Ohio. Stop by this storytelling program with slides and get the details on these and other Ohio inventors on Mon 2/21 at 7:30PM. Call 440-245-2563. It’s presented by Bette Lou Higgins and Eden Valley Enterprises for the Black River Historical Society, and is open to the public. Rosebud Party Center, 4493 Oberlin Ave. in Lorain. http://www.LorainCityHistory.org and http://www.EdenValleyEnterprises.org

How To Solve Our Human Problems Gen Kelsang Sangkyong is a resident teacher at the Compassion Buddhist Center in New York and a close disciple of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, author of How to Solve Our Human Problems: The Four Noble Truths, The New Meditation Handbook. He’ll talk about how to integrate Buddha’s teachings into daily life and discuss Gyatso’s teachings. Sangkyong is know for his kindness and capacity to cherish others and this is his second visit to Mac’s on Tue 2/22 at 7PM. Call 321-2665. Macs Backs Paperbacks, 1820 Coventry Rd. in Cleveland Hts. http://www.MacsBacks.com

Accelerated Networking Luncheon Expand your business network with help from The Web Association; their membership is jam-packed with inspiring people and excellent companies, so come by to exchange ideas, share solutions and grow your business network. You’ll move around the table and meet people at this interactive luncheon event on Tue 2/22 from 11:30AM-1PM. Call 373-0078. Windows on the River, 2000 Sycamore St. http://www.WebAssociation.org

Cultural Crossings French author, sociologist, and diplomat Frédéric Martel will bring culture to Cleveland. He’ll compare models of funding for the arts in the U.S. and France, and exploring why the American model is dominant in the world of “entertainment,” while the French model is leading the cutting-edge side of art creation. Check out his observations in Supporting the Arts: A French-American Comparison in this Cleveland State University Lecture Series on Wed 2/23 at 4PM. Call 687-4646. Mather Mansion, 2605 Euclid Ave. http://www.CSU.edu

Photography, Painting & Sculpture: Working Digitally Six nationally noted artists will examine the digital medium and how it impacts their work and message, and each uses digital technologies to extend and supplement what might be considered traditional art forms and approaches. The speakers will address how working digitally has changed their approach and the opportunities that digital media offers on Wed 2/23 at 7PM. Call 421-7421; this event is open to the public. The Cleveland Institute of Art’s Aitken Auditorium at the Institute’s Gund Building, 11141 East Blvd. in University Circle. http://www.CIA.edu

Send your cool events to: Events@CoolCleveland.com

Cool Cleveland Interview
Denise Neil
Children’s Hunger Alliance

Formerly known as Ohio Hunger Task Force, Children’s Hunger Alliance is diligently distributing resources to our city’s youth, educating the public, and strategizing to alleviate hunger within Cleveland’s most vulnerable asset: its youth. Cool Cleveland senior editor Tisha Nemeth spoke with Denise Neil about Children’s Hunger Alliance’s expansion of benefits to the needy, their partnerships with faith-based organizations, and their crusade to collaborate with businesses that engage in cause-related marketing.

Cool Cleveland: What are the first steps when it comes to identifying children in need? Once CHA has identified these children, how is nutrition monitored in them; are there ways to track their health issues?

Denise Neil: In the 2005 Hunger Report, Children’s Hunger Alliance reports that 1.2 million people in Ohio are reported hungry or at risk of hunger, 495,000 of whom are children. This means that 1 out of 6 Ohio children are going to bed hungry or at risk of hunger every night. We can break that down even further to over 66,000 children in Cuyahoga County.

These are sobering numbers; Clevelanders may not realize this is an immediate need that should be addressed openly…
Yes, and luckily USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) federally funded meal programs are available to serve the immediate nutritional needs of hungry children. Yet Ohio has trailed most states in taking advantage of available federal dollars. These programs feed children and benefit low income families by allowing them to use their limited resources to pay for other expenses such as rent and utilities…
Read the Cool Cleveland Interview with Denise Neil of Children’s Hunger Alliance here

Cool Cleveland Preview
African-American Dance Ensemble @ Allen Theatre 2/19
“Peace, Love, Respect for eeeverybody!” intones “Baba Chuck” at the beginning of a typical concert and you know it’s going to be feel-good, family-friendly and multicultural. But that first impression might imply a temporary uplift that quickly fizzles out, and Davis and company have a certain staying power. From 1980 to 1984 Davis’ affiliation with the prestigious American Dance Festival in Durham, North Carolina produced concerts which morphed into gigantic rituals that overflowed auditoriums and turned audience members into participants…
Read the preview by Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas here

Cool Cleveland Sounds
Stark Raving Jams
Glass Harp
GH Records

About six months ago, the Winchester in Lakewood hosted the Cleveland Progressive Rock Fusion Fest. Five local bands of the progressive stripe teamed up for a night to showcase their talents. One act that wasn’t on the bill was the one that probably influenced them all, Youngstown’s Glass Harp (guitarist Phil Keaggy, bassist Daniel Pecchio and drummer John Sferra). Since bursting into the public’s musical consciousness thirty-some years ago, Glass Harp as a unit has been sporadic at best, although Stark Raving Jams should make up for some of that lost time and space. A three disc, 39 “song” extravaganza, the material is taken from a variety of sources and varies all over the place when it comes to quality audio. Only six songs clock in over eight minutes, but luckily one of them is “Changes,” the closest thing the band ever had to a hit record on the radio. Recorded at the Beachland Ballroom back in March of 2003, one has to wonder who is more into the song unfolding, the crowd or the band. “California Jam ’72” is an elder war horse that comes on hard and heavy as “Flying Harp Bolero” gives the project a Mexicali touch for a hair over five minutes. Home demo “Dit Dit Dit” has an octagon of styles, while “Drum & Plastic Thing” presents Sferra a reason to sweat the skins. “The Trilogy” is Stark Raving Jam’s extended presentation, with the rhythm section keeping the bottom solid as Keaggy picks his way, going through more phases than the late Timothy Leary ever had. A lot of the “songs” included here are snippets from various sound checks, which give you an idea what virtuosos the three could be without drawing more than one of the ideas out to their final conclusion. For that reason, Stark Raving Jams will be a mixed bag to some music fans in the audience. Nevertheless, it is all good in the neighborhood and, though Keaggy has gone on to his Christian rock, Pecchio to Michael Stanley and beyond and Sferra to the Motion, Stark Raving Jams is an honest illustration of what started Glass Harp on the road as an influence to many musicians who followed the path they started.
Read the review by Peanuts here

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

Something Corporate @ House of Blues 1/25
They’ve been called everything from “piano-powered rock” and “post-emo” to “what Ben Folds’ first breakup might have sounded like.” I’ll buy all those descriptors, but the Southern California rock quintet Something Corporate is all about living in the moment. Cleveland has been an instrumental city in the band’s rise to popularity, with several tour stops here over the last 18 months — proof that Clevelanders do know talent when they hear it. For 90 electrifying minutes, the sold-out crowd at the House of Blues last Tuesday was definitely on board. Since their first major label releases Audioboxer and Leaving Through the Window, Something Corporate has come a long way – all-too-familiar young love-and-hate themes are maturing as rapidly as their sound is…
Read the review by Pete Chakerian here

Ohio Ballet @ Youngstown’s Powers Auditorium 1/29
This weekend and next, Ohio Ballet brings its winter repertoire program to Cleveland and Akron. Determined as always to give our readers the best possible preview, we went to Youngstown in January to see the company perform the same program at the beautiful Powers Auditorium. Three ballets later we were convinced that this is a strong program in terms of both the dances and the dancing. Let us walk you through the program using Raymonda Variations, a tutu ballet, to talk about the company’s classical technique; Lost and Found, inspired by 9/11, to talk about the company’s ability to convey emotion through their dancing; and Rapturous Heart, a Valentines Day dance, to talk about company identity. It is a strong program not least because of the dancers, who are looking well and dancing well; and there is no better ground on which to discuss the dancers’ aptitude than Raymonda Variations, choreographed for Ohio Ballet by Cynthia Gregory, now retired but once called America’s Prima Ballerina Assoluta…
Read the review by Elsa Johnson and Victor Lucas here

4th Street Experience @ House of Blues, Pickwick and Frolic 2/11
We all know that East 4th Street is one of the happening places in the city these days. Friday night I got the chance to take my significant other out for a birthday celebration with all the trimmings. We volleyed our way to Pickwick and Frolic for dinner, where we almost blew an artery listening to the hilarious Judy Tenuta, a.k.a. the “Love Goddess.” Afterward we got our music fix at the House of Blues with the Aphrodesiatics and Liquid Soul as we grooved to a mix of jazz-funk and hip-hop that knew no limitations. If you’re looking for a great night out that includes some great tunes, food and side-splitting laugher, grab a lover, friend or family pet and head over to 4th Street. Proof, once again, there’s lots of great things going on in our city.
from Cool Cleveland contributor TL Champion TL@Coolcleveland.com

Venus @ CPT 2/12
What: Suzan-Lori Parks’ controversial, presentational Passion Play about Saartjie Baartman, a big-butt South African woman who was a sexualized sensation in the 1800’s, exhibited in European freak shows as “The Venus Hottentot” and ultimately dissected and displayed in a Paris museum.
Reasons to go: You can’t take your eyes off the captivating Nina Domingue – whose expressive, open face makes the tragic Venus a flawed, engaging human being rather than a symbol. Jyana Gregory’s formal production emphasizes the ritualistic aspects of the declamatory script, as does Sergio Villegas’ striking circus-ring set. Standouts are Holly Holsinger’s sleazy carnival mother/pimp, Robert J. Williams’ empathic narrator, and David Loy as the obsessed anatomist who wants her body – both in his bed and on his dissecting table. The ensemble of freaks/spectators also does strong work — especially Jazmin Corona and Corene Woodford as Siamese twins.
Caveats: It’s a grisly tale, the script is long, and at times the choral work is difficult to make out. But it’s a strikingly handsome production, infinitely more affecting than the one I remember from its NY Public Theatre premiere.
Backstory: CPT got special funding from the NEA for this production, enabling them to hire two hot emerging designers, Sergio Villegas (Mexico City) and NYC’s Junghyun Georgia Lee. Director Gregory is also at CPT thanks to a major grant from Theatre Communications Group. Check out the many “surround” events – “Discussions on Race, Beauty, Science, Love, Slavery, Colonialism, and Art.”
Target audience: Adults willing to be challenged with difficult material.
Details: Thru 2/26, Cleveland Public Theatre, 6415 Detroit Ave., Cleveland. 216-631-2727. http://www.cptonline.org.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Linda Eisenstein Linda@coolcleveland.com

The Real Thing – CASE/CPH MFA Spotlight Series 2/13
For a somewhat sardonic Valentine, one could do worse than take in the current production of Tom Stoppard’s 1982 play The Real Thing currently at Studio One of the Cleveland Play House, in a joint production with the CASE/MFA program. It isn’t an overlong play and director Jerrold Scott keeps the action zipping right along. But you’ll need to hurry a bit, as the final scheduled performance is Sat 2/19. It helps to keep in mind the 1980’s English sensibility: Maggie Thatcher was in charge, and there are several allusions to this era. But most of all, you’ll have to pay attention as the words go flying around the intimate Studio One stage area. My biggest quibble is with the British accents, which vary greatly from actor to actor. At times, this unevenness hinders comprehension. They don’t really add anything, even at the best of times, except for Brodie, who is on-stage for all of about five minutes at the very end of the play…
Read the review by Kelly Ferjutz here

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 Bush’s budget [See: Bush decimates Cleveland here] Egad, your anti-Bush sentiments at CoolCleveland show forth once again. But did you read the article for which you provided the link? It cited Chad Kolton, a spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget, saying “Cleveland wouldn’t necessarily see a cut because the new program would focus on getting money to the poorest cities.” (And which is the poorest?) It was one Daryl Rush, a local “Cleveland Development Director,” who was cited as saying “it’s hard to imagine there won’t be cuts if overall spending is down.” So one local bureaucrat’s imaginations becomes a Bush decimation of Cleveland. Why don’t you at least wait to see what monies actually get earmarked for Cleveland before starting the naysaying?…
Read the Yr Turn by Jim Gilmore here

On Wal-Mart [See: Wal-Mart ousted here] Kudos to [Cleveland City Councilman] Joe Cimperman for introducing the legislation that could potentially stop Walmart from driving us further into the recesses of poverty! This is a cause all Clevelanders, particularly those in the Steelyard Commons vicinity need to be prepared to fight for. We need to stay on top of this lest those who can be bought will sell the rest of us out for a few bucks. We couldn’t stop a terrible war with our protests but, maybe we can win this one.
from Cool Cleveland reader Srinivas Merugu smokedtilapia@yahoo.com

On Blink [See: I Dare You To Think (Without Thinking) here] Just got around to reading your review of Blink, and thought you might be intrigued by this pan of the book: here Posner is a well-regarded appeals judge, and his review made me want to ignore the book. But yours makes me want to read it.
from Cool Cleveland reader George Carr GCARR@gsfn.com

On seceding from the State [See: Should NEO secede from Ohio? here] Jim’s McCarthy refreshingly candid comments are spot-on. The concept of secession, even in a humorous context, is real, dangerous, and will likely be an issue someday. Taken to its logical end, Florida, Texas and California should also secede, since their economies “carry” the rest of the nation. A better (and more humorous) idea might be to relocate the Capital, or somehow de-centralize state government.
from Cool Cleveland reader William Scott Anderson wsanderson@dotyandmiller.com

On love from LA Though I have lived in LA for 20 years I still visit Cleveland to see my Polish relatives, eat chicken paprikash and oddly, eat the best Mexican food (El Tango on Madison where I had the pleasure to meet Mr. Mulready and be turned on to Cool Cleveland.) I love getting Cool Cleveland and read it with more interest than my own local LA Weekly. Your readers should know what a pleasure it is to receive such a tight, well written weekly of your local events without pages and pages of Porn and Plastic Surgery ads. I use Cool Cleveland to plan interesting events during my visits and have found Cleveland to be a vibrant, interesting, young, artful city on the move. Thanks for all you bring to me 2500 miles away.
from Cool Cleveland reader Mars Berman marsbar@sbcglobal.net

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) Museum director quits Katherine Lee Reid, who has been director of the Cleveland Museum of Art for only five years, made the surprise announcement that she was retiring. www.Cleveland.com

2) Cleveland Mom is a super source for busy parents. Use this colorful site to get the best our region has to offer, where you’ll find up-to-date listings of kid-friendly events and helpful tips. http://www.ClevelandMom.com

3) RoldoLINK News Media Unlikely to Tell You No one else will do this so I might as well. The bookkeeping below gives some of the escalating costs of the 1990 decision to build Gateway. www.CoolCleveland.com

4) Detroit Shoreway gets spiffed The Detroit Shoreway neighborhood will see real culture emerge, as Near West Theatre, Cleveland’s premier youth theater groups, will eventually move to the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood. www.Cleveland.com

5) Big boxes scared More and more big box retailers are angling to land in Cleveland, specifically a 123,800-square-foot Target tentatively setting up business on West 117th Street at Interstate 90. www.Cleveland.com

Accelerate your businesses exposure in Cleveland with advertising that stands out on its own. How to get it? Advertise with CoolCleveland.com; we’ll pump up the volume in your advertising that’ll significantly impact your company’s image. Find out more by emailing us a note to Info@coolcleveland.com and we’ll get right back to you.

Hard Corps max up the mojo These people work it weekly to coordinate and deliver the events, critical reviews and cultural content that keeps CC fresh. Thanks to Tisha Nemeth-Loomis, Deb Remington, Pete Chakerian, Linda Eisenstein, TL Champion, Bill Nagode, Kelly Ferjutz, Rachel Jacobs, Kevin Risner, Victor Lucas, Peanuts, George Nemeth 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

What needs invigorating?

–Thomas Mulready
Letters@CoolCleveland.com

all contents © 2005 MulreadyGROUP all rights reserved (:divend:)

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